A disconcerting 85% of employees worldwide are not engaged or are actively disengaged in their job reports Gallup in their recent State of the Global Workplace report.
Global performance-management consulting company Gallup, which uses over 80 years of global experience, helps business leaders solve their most pressing problems.
Gallup’s report provides context on labour markets and workforces from 155 different countries. The report delivers a snapshot of the effectiveness of human capital in their workforces.
So what does it mean that 85% of the general workforce is unengaged?
Gallup defines work engagement as highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work and workplace. And the number of employees that match this description is 15%. A pretty bleak statistic!
So why are organisations faced with all of this wasted potential? Gallup’s research points the finger at resistance to change.
It notes that “in particular, organizations and institutions have often been slow to adapt to the rapid changes produced by the spread of information technology, the globalization of markets for products and labor, the rise of the gig economy, and younger workers’ unique expectations.”
Gallup offers a series of strategies for maximizing workplace productivity:
Improve productivity by working towards a more employee-centered world
Routine jobs found in manufacturing and production appear to be particularly problematic. Why? Conventional management mentality, often found in the industry, places process above people.
However, organisations that base performance management systems on positive workplace relationships, frequent recognition, ongoing dialogue regarding their performance and the opportunity for workers to grow will get the most out of their employees.
Build strengths-based workplaces to unleash employee potential
Giving employees the freedom to identify and target roles that play to their inherent talents and abilities is key. Allowing people to use their strengths on the job makes for more motivated employees. Why? Because when you are naturally good at something, it feels less like work.
Hire great managers to implement positive change
Gallup says that workgroup managers are the most critical players in implementing performance management systems. And it is particularly important for systems that are performance-oriented, engagement-based and strengths-focused.
A number of unhappy employees resign due to their unsatisfactory working relationship with a manager. On the other hand, a skilled manager intrinsically knows how to get the most from people. They maximize productivity, keep their team focused while maintain positive relationships.
Read Gallup’s full report here.
Activios is a performance management system that helps organisations develop a winning culture. It provides the platform to inform, engage and empower employees towards high performance.
If you would like to know more about Activios, please email us on busdev@activios.com.