This may come as a surprise but it is, unfortunately, the reality. According to a recent Gallup study, only 29%of the workers polled were actively engaged in their work.And what, you're probably asking, exactly IS employee engagement? That is a very good question, and simply stated, it is the level of connection your employee has with you, your company, and the work you have him perform.
The really scary information about this poll is the fact that a full 59% of the workers polled by Gallup stated that they were simply sleepwalking through their day. They were showing up to work to put in their time, but felt no connection with their companies, and therefore no remorse over the fact that they were not performing to their full ability.
On top of that, 14% of the workers polled actually said that they were not only unhappy in their jobs, but that they were ACTIVELY WORKING TO SABOTAGE the efforts of their colleagues. These workers are actually showing up to work just to COST YOU MONEY!
So, why is this happening? Well, according to Gallup studies, a full 84% of people polled stated that they believe business executives have, at best, mediocre ethical standards (rating just above politicians, car salesmen and telemarketers.) In addition, 20% of people polled were dissatisfied with their immediate, front line supervisor.
So it seems that the largest problem, by far, is BADMANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS. Now it's your job to go find them. To assist you in this quest, I have assembled a list of the most common culprits. I guarantee you, steam turbine bearing there will be at least one of these characters floating around your workplace.
ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE???
First up on the list is, of course, the "Bully." We all remember this person from school, if not from the desk right next to us. This manager is loud, obnoxious, over-bearing, often angry, and leads only through intimidation. The "Bully" has no respect for you, or your employees.
This creates an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Your employees do not know where they stand, and are probably spending more time trying to cover their tracks (simply to avoid getting yelled at) then performing meaningful work for your organization.