How’s Your Engagement Level?

Employee engagement has long often been a seemingly elusive goal pursued by management. Worldwide, only 13% of employees are actively engaged with the work they are doing, according to Gallup. In the US, that number jumps to 33% as per the State of the American Workplace Report.  Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) reports that 84% of workers are “just coming to work.” Why are these numbers so dismal and what can we do about it? A better question yet is, what factors create the engaged employee?

According to Harvard Business Review, understanding engagement depends on understanding the archetypes of employee perception and their behavior. This archetypal understanding comes observing the full-time traditional employee. But what about the contingent worker? This individual is someone who may or may not have the goal of becoming a permanent employee. They can be hired for either long-term or short-term contractual work that requires them to be flexible and open to new challenges. These employees will also likely move from position to position, depending on the terms of their contracts. It may seem that contingent workers are less likely to be engaged, especially if they are not likely to be hired on as permanent employees. Yet, this could be further from the truth.

The Contingent Worker and Full-time Traditional Employee (FTE)

In a recent survey, SIA found that 21% of full-time contingent workers were engaged in comparison to 15% in traditional full-time employee (FTE) roles. This points to an interesting finding. The contingent worker may be more engaged based on the fact that they are frequently required to produce work under time constraints based on their contractual obligations. They may also find that in working as a temporary employee they have a sense of freedom and feel in control of their careers. They can choose to work for a variety of companies, gaining a sense of perspective that those who have accepted traditional work paths may not have. These factors may contribute to a higher percentage of engagement among contingent workers.

That said, FTEs have the domain knowledge that a contingent worker may not have. They can dive deep into their role. They have a built-in stability that a contingent worker may not have. They also have access to vast corporate training resources. There are some drawbacks though. A full-time employee may want variety, but may not have that luxury because the company relies on them in their current position. They may feel less in control of their career because bigger decisions such as mergers and acquisitions and corporate alignment can impact their own goals. These factors may lead to a stagnation in engagement at work.

How to Become More Engaged at Work

If engagement is higher among contingent workers based on productivity and perception of role, this engagement can be replicated in full-time traditional roles. Employees – whether FTE or contingent - that are ambivalent or disengaged could become engaged if they embraced the following:

·        Free to Choose: Many of those who are disengaged at work might become more engaged if they understood that they are free to work anywhere they wish, if they are able to secure the position. Unless they are bound contractually, at-will employees have the right to choose to remain at their job or move onward. This understanding can shift one’s perception, moving it from a sense of imposition to one of choice.

·        Find Meaning: For those who are highly productive at work, yet still disengaged, the issue may have to do with lacking a sense of fulfillment. If these employees re-conceptualize the role by gaining an understanding of what they enjoy doing in the role vs. what they do not, they can take ownership of it. This can be a really simple process that can invigorate any employee willing to put in the work.

·        Embrace Team Work: SIA states that employees who work on collaborative teams that trust each other are 12 times likelier to be highly engaged at work. While individual employees may not be in control of who is leading the team, they play a part in how it develops. They can speak with the team lead/supervisor to gain clarification to understand how their role impacts the team, department, and company. Team work is highly rewarding and provides a built-in sense of purpose.

·        Understand Yourself: If either contingent or FTEs are in a position and working for a company that isn’t the right fit for them, it may be time to do some self-reflection. They may find that they’re in the wrong field or that the company’s values aren’t aligned with their own. Knowing this will set either type of worker on the path that will lead to a more engaging job.

What Brings You Fulfillment?

A case can be made for and against both types of working choices. If you are weighing the pros and cons of contingent vs. FTE, the key is to understand what would bring you joy and fulfillment. It’s crucial that you be in the right situation. No one wants to spend the majority of their living hours feeling listless or angry because they do not love the work they are doing. Once you learn to how to navigate your job to make it work for you, you may find that you’ve shifted your perception towards it. This may either lead you towards a new job that you love or it may shed light on your current role, allowing you to take the bull by the horns and make the job something you are proud of. While companies do have a responsibility in making certain they are providing a work environment that enables productivity and satisfaction, you have the responsibility of taking control of your career.