You’re about to lose 77% of your customers and clients.
Now, do I have your attention?
Yet, if I had started this piece off by telling you that you were about to lose 77% of your workforce, you’d probably shrug your shoulders and move on to the next article.
Studies show the connection between employee engagement and productivity, customer satisfaction, employee turnover, and profitability. Yet, employee engagement numbers keep getting worse rather than better.
A new Gallup report found that 77% of employees are disengaged at work.
70% of variance in team engagement is due to the manager.
Your organization’s survival risk is at stake without the right people leading your staff.
Yet companies like Bayer continue to decimate their management ranks, as I wrote about back in April, with little regard to the impact their moves are having on employee engagement and customer satisfaction.
Many organizations have cut back or eliminated their learning and development budgets, thereby leaving managers to figure out how to lead on their own, which you can see from the numbers really isn’t working out all that well.
Let’s cut to the chase.
Here’s how to create a more engaged workforce.
- When hiring management personnel, be highly selective. Not everyone has the traits to be a great (or even good) leader. Before making an offer, ask yourself how you’d feel if they were your boss or the boss of a close friend or loved one. If you hesitate for even a moment, don’t make the offer.
- Spend more time and money on finding the right people for your organization.
- Provide leaders with access to coaching, which is the most potent leadership development opportunity you can offer people.
- Rid your organization of non-performers. Let’s be honest here. You know who these people are, and so does everyone else. Stop being conflict-avoidant. Make your move. Do this today.
- Onboard employees properly. Have an onboarding plan in place before making a job offer.
- Give people autonomy to do their jobs. If you’ve taken your time and hired the right people, then you should be comfortable turning the reins over to them and letting them do their jobs.
- Compensate people fairly. There’s nothing more demotivating than working in a job when you’re feeling underpaid. Keep your compensation ranges up-to-date and adjust salaries accordingly.
- Put your people first, and in return, they will put your customers first.
The numbers don’t lie.
77% disengagement is a ticking time bomb for your business.
But here’s the truth: You have the power to change it.
Invest in your people. Develop your leaders. Create an environment where engagement thrives.
Your business depends on it.
The choice is yours.
What will you do today?
