Employee disengagement might have a catastrophic effect on an organization, because if not taken care of when spotted at a microscopic level, it transforms into a bigger, more complex issue that eventually runs throughout the organization. Almost 70% of employees in companies around the world have stated that they feel disengaged at work, and are not willing to put in the effort that it takes to excel in the tasks at hand.
So, how does one figure out that their team is not satisfied with their workplace? What are the signs that tell you about employee disengagement? More importantly, how does one solve the issue of employee disengagement? Well, it’s a tricky task, and also what I have unlocked for you today:
Withdrawal
Work withdrawal is a team member’s avoidance and disengagement towards the work they have or will be assigned. It could also mean them avoiding any or all sorts of extra opportunities that may be handed to them. As soon as they’re asked to pick a task, they tend to make excuses to get out of it.
Poor Communication
Poor communication in the workplace simply presents itself in the form of team members not willing to discuss ideas, innovations, or even follow up on the tasks assigned to them. They keep to themselves, and tend to not interact with the other members of the organization.
Keeping Silent
A similar, but a little more extensive part of poor communication. Keeping silent by the team members is a sign of them not being at all interested in whatever activities that go around in the organization, and only worrying about a task that has been assigned to them.
Absenteeism
A very obvious addition to our list of signs of employee disengagement. Not showing up on time, or not showing up at all, is clearly a sign of not enjoying what you do, and that you’re not interested in the work that the organization does.
Declining work quality
One of the most difficult aspects to deal with in reference to employee engagement is the declining work quality of the team members. Missing deadlines, not following the process or deviating from it, are some tough challenges to deal with for a leader, and are tough to resolve to go back to a streamlined process.
Lack of Participation
Lack of participation happens when participants remain quiet or do not engage in an activity, creating a roadblock to better productivity in the organization.
Some other signs of employee disengagement include: Rudeness, apathy towards work, exhaustion and inefficiency etc.
Also Read: 5 Reasons For Lack Of Employee Participation
How To Solve Employee Disengagement
Now, as a leader, what do you actually do when you spot these signs? What actions do you take?
The first thing to understand is that the problem is not with a particular employee, but the outcome of what goes around in the workplace. Simply put, employee disengagement is not a sign, but an outcome. Therefore, whenever these outcomes creep in, they must be dealt with from the perspective of the whole organisation, rather than cherry picking some employees.
Communication is important to resolve employee disengagement. Ask your team members what it is that they feel is going wrong, and if you can help them resolve it. You need to understand the person and what they are going through, before you begin analyzing the reasons for their disengagement. As soon as you communicate, the problems begin to open up, and can be tackled one-by-one.
Also Read: 200% Increase in Team’s Productivity [Hack Revealed]
Conclusion
As soon as the problems are in the open, it becomes the responsibility of the leader to take action to solve them. It is important for them to let their team know that their concerns were heard, and that the necessary steps are being taken to resolve them. Because once the team knows the organisation cares about them, they begin to care about their work, and their customers.
Instead of telling them what to do, take a step ahead and help them, guide them and coach them to become better and improve. Clearing out any cloud of confusion and disengagement, is how a business begins to flourish, with every team member genuinely enjoying what they do.
