It’s August. And while temperatures are high, employee engagement is low. And I mean low, low, low, low, low. (IYKYK)
It’s August. And while temperatures are high, employee engagement is low. And I mean low, low, low, low, low. (IYKYK)
We have other blogs and information for you this month that will go into the details of what this looks like and what you can do. But I am going to talk about it too because, (again) employee engagement is LOW and the impact of this is huge.
Without considering the fact that it is summer and most employees are dreaming of their next vacation, having FOMO over someone else’s vacation, wanting to do anything else besides work, and all of the other summertime disengagement reasons, we’ve got bigger picture stuff that is impacting engagement to think about also. Think the usual suspects of stress and burnout but also add in stats that say employees are highly dissatisfied with their leadership and saying that their work lacks purpose (Gen Z – represent).
What are we seeing and how is this showing up? Lots of employee claims, investigations and complaints. We’re also still hearing murmurs of quiet quitting (quiet quitters aren’t typically loud about it), and lower productivity and general crankiness and push back.
So, the real reason you are hopefully still with me… What do we do about? While I love a good ping pong culture, the biggest strategy I have seen work to improve engagement with all employees, across all cultures and generations is you and your time. I know, I know, you’re stretched thin as it is. But do you want to invest in your employees now or spend your time backfilling their roles or your time on the disciplinary process used to get them out the door? You have a choice, but I would much rather invest now and be proactive, not reactive.
This doesn’t have to be complicated or spendy. Talk to them. Regularly. Check on them. Ask them about themselves and how they are doing. And here’s a doozy… Listen. Practice empathy and emotional intelligence based on what you hear.
And, of course, we’re here for you with all the time, resources and support you could ask for. Holler if you need us and stay cool (in all the ways).
You don’t have to tackle this alone. If your leaders are feeling stretched thin, we’re here to help. From our trusted core services to the new People Playbook with on-demand training and engagement tools, we've got what you need to support, develop, and re-energize your team.
-Kristi