Struggling with Disengagement? Recognise the Warning Signs in Your Team

As leaders and managers, we face countless challenges and tough decisions every day. One question that often plagues us is: what drives our company more, employee engagement or profits? It’s a classic chicken-and-egg scenario. When our employees are passionate about their work and aligned with the company’s goals, they naturally invest more in their performance and their teammates, leading to higher profits. It's a cycle of mutual benefit where engaged employees elevate the company's bottom line.

The Critical Metrics of Engagement

Profitability: Companies with highly engaged employees are 21% more profitable than those with disengaged staff.

? Productivity: Engaged employees are 17% more productive.

? Customer Retention: These companies also see higher customer retention rates.

??Cost of Disengagement: Disengaged employees cost organisations an estimated ￡350-￡450 billion each year.

Overall Business Performance: Engaged employees outperform their peers because they tend to be more innovative and efficient.

The Nightmare of Low Employee Engagement

As leaders, dealing with low employee engagement can feel like an uphill battle. Imagine a workplace riddled with low productivity, high turnover, poor attendance, minimal initiative, low morale, reduced collaboration, customer complaints, resistance to change, a lack of innovation, and a toxic atmosphere. This is the last thing any of us want to manage.

Despite our best efforts, many companies still struggle with engagement. The challenge lies in understanding why engagement is low and taking proactive steps to create a positive environment, recognise contributions, and foster a culture of trust and collaboration.

Why Does Low Engagement Persist?

You’d think we’d have solved employee engagement by now. Interestingly, the medieval church identified seven wrong motives, the “Seven Deadly Sins,” which align with the seven deadly mistakes in leadership that can undermine employee engagement:

1. Lust – Prioritising Profits Over People

When profits overshadow the needs of employees, morale suffers. Workers feel expendable and are less likely to collaborate. To counter this, we can promote work-life balance with flexible work arrangements, encourage time off, and recognise achievements regularly. Implementing reward systems tailored to individual preferences can make a significant difference.

2. Gluttony – Ignoring Employee Needs

When we enjoy the perks of our positions without addressing team needs, high turnover is inevitable. Encouraging transparency, keeping employees informed, and actively listening to their concerns helps build trust. Supporting employee resource groups and investing in clear communication channels fosters a sense of community and belonging.

3. Greed – Overloading Employees

Pushing for more without providing the necessary time or feedback breeds resistance to change, and poor attendance. We should delegate meaningful tasks, recognise and reward accomplishments, and ensure regular check-ins. Improving the physical workspace to make it comfortable and conducive to productivity also helps.

4. Sloth – Failing to Lead

A lack of interest from leadership leads to low productivity and customer complaints. Hiring for traits and behaviours that align with engagement, connecting roles to the bigger picture, and ensuring our workplace is inclusive can boost morale. Encouraging participation in social responsibility initiatives gives employees a sense of purpose.

5. Wrath – Allowing Toxic Behaviour

Toxic behaviour from leadership creates insecurity and stifles initiative. Leaders should model the behaviour they want to see, organise team-building activities, provide constructive feedback, and build a strong company culture focused on respect, collaboration, and inclusion.

6. Envy – Resenting Employee Success

When we resent the success of others, we stifle innovation and growth. Implementing mentorship programs, encouraging innovation, offering training programs, and working with employees on career path planning can help. Recognising and rewarding contributions fosters a culture of growth and development.

7. Pride – Ignoring Good Advice

Overconfidence and disconnection from employees create a negative workplace atmosphere. Making leadership accessible, seeking employee feedback, conducting engagement surveys, and setting measurable engagement goals show employees that their opinions matter. Acting on their feedback is crucial.

Insights from the Medieval Church

It’s remarkable how the medieval church’s understanding of human motives translates into modern leadership challenges. As leaders, we need to ask ourselves: Are our employees being encouraged to understand themselves and each other better to work together effectively? Do they feel heard? Are we actively listening?

The Crucial Role of Communication

The benefits of employee engagement are too significant to ignore. We need to start the process of increasing engagement with effective communication. Investing time and resources into optimising communication within our organisation ensures that employees are engaged and happy.

Imagine building the kind of rapport that makes your employees want to stay with you forever. It’s possible, and it starts with understanding the importance of communication and engagement. Let’s work together to transform our company from within, creating a thriving, productive, and engaged workforce.

It's always worth spending time and investing money into optimising communication within your organisation to ensure that employees are engaged and happy.

All that said, why not… Join Us in Malaga for an Unforgettable Advanced Communication Training Experience!

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? Date: 11th October 2024

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Niki Kerr, a celebrated "Top Voice" for leadership on LinkedIn and an experienced instructor in CMI and ILM leadership courses, is your guide for this transformative experience. With her expertise, you'll gain the skills to build instant rapport in any situation and master the art of engaging, managing, motivating, and guiding individuals to their fullest potential.

Niki also has a proven track record of helping leaders, from entrepreneurs scaling their businesses to professionals at the United Nations. Under her guidance, you

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Email: [email protected]

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