What do you do if your employee engagement is lacking despite professional development and training?

As a follow up to the engagement survey, I would schedule smaller group sessions (6-10 people) to better understand what is driving the lower engagement. So important to understand the WHY. I would then try to build/introduce programs to respond to some of those key issues.

It's crucial to address the root causes. I would initiate open dialogue to understand concerns and tailor solutions accordingly, focusing on areas like communication, recognition, and work-life balance. Empowering employees with autonomy and fostering a culture of continuous feedback and recognition would be a good idea. By prioritizing employee's well-being and creating a supportive work environment, I can energize team motivation and commitment.

By conducting a meeting with Managers and higher authorities, and explaining the different leadership qualities , which clearly defines the relationship between the managers and employees bonding.

Here are steps you can take: Conduct Surveys and Feedback Sessions: Gather feedback from employees through surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one meetings to understand their perceptions, concerns, and suggestions regarding professional development and training programs. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and tailor programs to better meet employees' needs and preferences. Assess Organizational Culture: Evaluate the organizational culture to determine if there are factors contributing to low engagement despite professional development efforts. Assess aspects such as leadership style, communication practices, recognition and rewards systems, work-life balance, and opportunities for career advancement.

Professional development training must go beyond the "event". Employee engagement increases when there is a top-down commitment to an inclusive corporate culture, one that gets the teams excited about their purpose and the company's achievements in relation to their purpose. When people are genuinely celebrated and appreciated, employee engagement increases. Professional development of team members is an extension of this. Developing team members says that their presence is important and you want them to grow with your organization.

Employee engagement might falter even with excellent initiatives for professional development. What you can do is as follows: Pay attention to relevance: Ensure that training has a direct impact on the responsibilities and career objectives of workers. This demonstrates commitment to their development and boosts drive. Obtain comments: Speak with the staff! One-on-one interviews and surveys can be used to find out what's lacking in an employee's work—is it a feeling of purpose, recognition, or workload? Go beyond talents: Work responsibilities aren't the only thing that engage employees. Take into account the work-life balance, corporate culture, and internal growth chances.

In tackling low engagement levels, it’s important to offer personalized support tailored to each employee's needs. Recognize that every team member is unique and may require different forms of guidance and assistance. Take the time to understand their individual goals and challenges, and provide targeted mentoring, resources, or training opportunities. This personalized approach demonstrates a genuine investment in their growth and development, which can significantly boost engagement and motivation.

Employee engagement cannot be forced no matter how many pizza parties one has. For one to externally express themselves, they must be internally secure. When it comes to work, this means allowing a person to do their work in a way that’s comfortable to them, have the ability to make mistakes without fear of judgment, and not feeling insecure due to a need to live up to someone else’s expectations.

Micromanaging employees is the death knell for successful businesses. An employee needs not only appreciation, but the "space" to conduct their work unmolested. Be available to correct issues but give your employees the space they need to grow their own confidence in their abilities. A two way employee : employer interaction and sharing of views, opinions and tasks will give the employee the confidence that you are approachable, whether to fix faults or seek the praise they will feel they are entitled to for doing good work.

Empowering employees to take ownership of their work is key to enhancing engagement. Provide clear expectations and objectives, then trust your team members to make decisions and find creative solutions. Offering autonomy not only fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership but also encourages innovation and initiative. When employees feel empowered to contribute in meaningful ways, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their roles.

I find that starting with the human being in the center of communication makes a huge impact. How are you? This question is very powerful and often surprises people if you ask it. You will get valuable about the context for your exchange and demonstrate empathy before anything else.

Engaging communication is often misconstrued by employers and senior managers as yet another box ticking exercise. Effective communication is not a group activity. Many do not want the embarassment of sharing any dirty laundry in public. Having a mechanism whereby staff can address issues one to one is far more productive. Time should be set aside for this each week and a point of contact made available to book a slot to talk to the employer or senior manager assigned to this task. Good communication on a one to one basis is at the forefront of excellent employee relations.

Effective communication is essential for addressing low engagement levels. Establish open channels for transparent two-way communication where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Actively listen to their feedback and take prompt action to address any issues or challenges they may be facing. Cultivating a culture of open communication builds trust, fosters collaboration, and ultimately enhances overall engagement within the team.

I find that recognition without sincere gratitude and appreciation will fall flat at best and be a culture killer at worst. Be specific and authentic when recognizing people’s contributions. Allow yourself to articulate not only what you see that is worthy of praise but how it made you and / or others FEEL.

The culmination of the one to one sessions are anonymous group sessions, whereby contributions may be recognised and issues brought to you during the week, can be opened to group feedback and suggestions. This motivates teamwork and esprit de corps.

Recognizing and celebrating employee contributions is vital for boosting engagement and morale. Take the time to acknowledge and publicly appreciate their achievements, whether big or small. Regular recognition not only validates their efforts but also reinforces a culture of appreciation and respect. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work.

Consider offering flexible work arrangements to better meet the diverse needs of your team members. This could include options such as remote work, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks. Providing flexibility enables employees to better manage their work-life balance, which can significantly impact their satisfaction and engagement levels. By accommodating their individual needs and preferences, you demonstrate empathy and support for their well-being.

Turn those surveys and meetings into genuine two-way streets. Give everyone a mic—figuratively speaking—and really listen to the tunes they're playing. Beyond skills, nurture a workplace culture that celebrates more than just milestones. Think impromptu coffee chats, team outings, and maybe even a meme board that keeps everyone smiling.

Sometimes it’s beyond engagement and the answer lies in employee enablement. Engage employees to understand what enables them and let it be their bouncing board. Organisations and leaders need to understand that a modern day knowledge worker (millennial and gen-z) In particular, has to have the right radar to engage.

If employee engagement is lacking, despite professional development and training, it might signal hidden leadership challenges. As the saying goes, people leave managers, not organizations. Often, managers are inundated with work loads and could be operating under low level burnout. Assessing how managers can be better supported to perform their roles, might lead to a resultant increase in their capacity to pay more attention to people in their teams. Engaged managers/ team leaders = engaged teams.