Are You Engaged in Your Work?

According to the 2021 Gallup workplace survey, only 34% of American workers are engaged in their work, and 16% are actively disengaged. That leaves 50% of American workers in the "not engaged" category – putting in time, but not the energy or passion to maximize success. This is hardly what you want for your business or organization!   

Yes, we have had an unprecedented pandemic but, despite some improvement over the past two decades, these numbers are still pretty discouraging. What is the problem and what does this say about the American workplace?

In their book Learning Leadership, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner cite research that how a leader acts explains, more than any other variable, whether people feel engaged in their work, that the most effective leaders bring out two to three times more staff talent than do the least effective leaders, and that organizations with the best leaders are the highest performing.   

In sum, more than any other factor, employee engagement comes down to the quality of leadership.

In the present environment where so many people are leaving the workforce, businesses that create positive workplace cultures have an obvious advantage. Yes, pay and benefits are important, but there are many other factors that influence why and how people are working.

Are your employees making the consistent effort to be sure all workplace details are covered on a timely basis?  And what about you -- are you fully engaged in your work?  If not, step back and do some analysis of your own situation. What steps could you take to up your game?  

 We each have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, including our own. Don’t underestimate your impact!  

You can read more on this topic in my recent column in New Hampshire Business Review: here.