Employee Disengagement a Global Epidemic

According to a November, 2005 study  by consultants Towers Perrin, a Global Professional Service Firm,  found that while many people are keen to contribute more at work, the behavior of their managers and culture of their organizations are actively discouraging them from doing so.

The study, the largest of its kind, was carried out among more than 85,000 people working for large and midsize companies in 16 countries on four continents.

They found that 55% of US employees are passively looking for new jobs.  This means they are not engaged at work and are vulnerable to other offers.

It shows that there is a vast reserve of untapped "employee performance potential" that could drive better financial results if only companies could tap into this reserve.

Health Care Workers do not have confidence in senior management.

In their survey of 5,424 employees in the U.S. health care they found most disturbingly for health care institutions, that health care workers do not have confidence in senior management. Only 43% say that senior management is sincerely interested in employee well-being, the number one driver of health care employee engagement. What's more, 37% say that senior management sees them as just another part of the organization to be managed, and 15% say that senior management treats them as if they don't matter. Further, only 40% believe senior management communicates honestly and openly.

The Conference Board

The continuing failure by organizations to manage people as individuals rather than employees is undermining the effectiveness of the American workforce and leading to widespread employee disengagement.

What's more, according to market information group TNS and The Conference Board, managers are not prepared to effectively meet the major challenges presented by the future American workforce while remaining globally competitive.

Drawing on the results from recent surveys and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they argue that the new American workforce will be one of polarized skill levels, diversity, and disengagement.

Gallup Poll Conclusions on Engagement of Employees

Research published by Gallup and others has shown that “engaged employees are more productive employees. The research also proves that engaged employees are more profitable, more customer-focused, safer, and more likely to withstand temptations to leave. Many have long suspected the connection between an employee's level of engagement and the level and quality of his or her performance. Our research has laid the matter to rest.”

Cost of Turnover:

 American Management Association-The cost of hiring and training a new employee can vary from 25 percent to 200 percent of their annual salary.
Other costs:
 -Customer service disruption and loss of sales.
 -Low morale.
- Burnout/absenteeism among remaining employees.
- Loss of experience, continuity, and “corporate memory.
 -Waste of time and energy in emotional drama.

The Solution

Rebuilding relationships in the workplace is the only solution for this epidemic.  My workshops and keynote addresses bring clarity to the complex web of relationships in businesses everywhere and how to shift the workplace from a competitive, disengaged environment to one of trust and cooperation.  For more information on booking me for training, or keynotes, 
visit www.dannabeal.com. 

I love to hear from you, either in comments or at my email address danna@dannabeal.com.
Best always,
Danna

Healing the workplace culture is a process that I believe is starting to unfold.  The old business model of fear and internal competition is causing organizations to take a second look at how they are creating environments that deplete the energy of employees.  Losing employees who no longer want to deal with the dissension in their jobs is costly, in terms of processes, recruiting and retraining.  It also hurts morale. 

Lesley Taylor, Vancouver, BC, shares in her blog, insights and information about healing the workplace. Her blog is http://healingtheworkplace.wordpress.com. She also has a coaching website at
http://www.lesleytaylorcoaching.com.  Join with us in helping bring about a shift in the workplace culture.

You might also be interested in joining an organization that connects people and organzations who are working toward bringing spirit to the workplace.  It is:  http://www.spiritatwork.org.

As always, I appreciate your comments and if you have other suggestions for resources, please let us know.
Danna
www.dannabeal.com

How's the spirit where you work?  Do you feel empowered and that your work makes a difference?  Do you contribute from your highest potential?  Would workplaces have more loyalty, retention and better customer service if they improved the level of trust?  How can we make the workplace better if we don't first acknowledge the state of the current atmosphere?

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.  Just click on the "Add a Comment" link at the end of the quiz on this page, or you can email me at danna@dannabeal.com.

Does Your Workplace Drama Need a New Script?

Take This Quiz to Find Out:

All the world is a stage—including the workplace.  At work, the story being played out eight to ten hours a day, five to six days a week, has all the elements of high drama: protagonists and antagonists, motive, lot, conflicts, conspiracies, climax and so on.  Answer the following questions to find out if your office script could use a rewrite.

 1.  Gossip is occurring at all levels in the organization. T__ F__

 2.  Management rarely shows appreciation or encourages new ideas. T__ F__

 3.  There is an atmosphere of secrecy and hidden agendas. T__F__

 4.  Workaholism  is not only accepted, but encouraged. T__F__

 5.  Competitiveness, rivalry, and power struggles are common. T__F__

 6.  Individuals and departments protect their turf.  T__F__

 7.  Discrimination, though veiled, is present (sexual, racial, age, weight). T__F__

 8.  Lower-level workers walk on eggshells around management. T__F__

 9.  Dishonesty and lack of ethics is occurring. T__F__

 10.  Preferential behavior and favoritism are common. T__F__

 11.  Criticism, rather than support, is the norm. T__F__

 12.  Open and honest communication is rare. T__F__

Scoring:

0-3  Your workplace is functioning at a high or reasonably high level. Some issues may need improvement but the overall work environment is conducive to success.

4-8  Your workplace is in need of improvements and is not empowering the individuals that help the organization work at its top level.

9-12  Your organization needs a complete restoration plan.  This environment depletes the energy of everyone and will not survive long term.

Danna
www.dannabeal.com
danna@dannabeal.com

Fear, blaming, attacking and holding a ‘gun” at someone else gives the one doing it a false sense of superiority, a feeling that they are above the source of the threat of destruction.  The pain they cause in others is not felt when they are in the attack mode.  But this sense of triumph is short-lived because another enemy will show up.

Emotional assaults are occurring every day at every level in the workplace and the world.  The prognosis for this ongoing dysfunction is not good.  It is an unending process leading to the deep lack of self esteem.   Self worth will never be found in perpetuating drama.  

What can you do to help heal the workplace?  The only remedy is to stop reacting, attacking, defending, blaming and fearing to look at your own wound.  Who is the source of pain? Why do you allow the attack and, most of all, why do you believe them?

Danna

Rivalry in the workplace feeds on fear and insecurity and is accelerated by the desire to be recognized or appreciated. Few can withstand the discomfort and pain of being criticized, attacked and blamed—the literal sense of being stabbed and deeply wounded.

The pain is then absorbed into negative emotions creating physical illness, addiction or deep morose.  Attempts are made to expel the pain by blaming, attacking or lashing out at another leading to great rivalry, competition and jealousy.

This rivalry we are seeing in dramatic proportions in the workplace stems from childhood pain that needs to be released by facing and experiencing it—the very thing that most people avoid.  This avoidance of understanding themselves at a deep level, occurs because they are afraid of opening up a dirty secret—they are not worthy.   It takes so much energy maintaining this wall of protection and image of strength, because it is false. 

Next week I will talk about how each of us can face our inner fears and what questions to ask ourselves when we are being confronted or criticized in the workplace.  Although it can be funny to laugh at Dilbert, in our real life situations, it is no laughing matter.
Danna Beal
www.dannabeal.com

Welcome to my blog, dedicated to healing the workplace.  I will share with you my thoughts, observations, and insights on how I believe we can began restoring the workplace to one of respect and honor.  Extraordinary success can be reached through rebuilding relationships, creating synergism,  and elevating passion.

As a consultant for numerous organizations and industries, I have come to believe that the workplace today is filled with fear and emotional insecurity.  I am saddened by the number of people who feel disempowered and insecure in an escalading drama that exhausts everyone engaged in it.  I believe that when we can replace ...