Many workers say their employers aren’t providing an engaging atmosphere. The need to engage employees is a widely discussed challenge in the workforce.
Recently, I read an article by Stephen Newman is a writer/editor for the Association for Talent Development; here are some of his thoughts and mine.
In a poll of 2,000 U.S. workers commissioned by the professional staffing firm Kforce, 81 percent of respondents gave their jobs’ work-life balance, company morale, and benefits packages a letter grade of B-.
They cited their top five office weaknesses as:
- communication and feedback
- employee retention
- staff diversity and inclusion
- transparency
- health and safety
Top Values that were identified under lack of effective communication is:
- a loss of trust
- along with passion
- mentorship
Here’s what is so troubling to me, Alysia Kehoe, as a business coach: (Source: Annual State of Employee Communication and Engagement Study, Dynamic Signal )
The Study found that most U.S. workers:
- 30 percent more than one year ago (since 2018) are unhappy and ready to quit their jobs because of ineffective communication.
- A whopping 70 percent of responding employees feel overwhelmedbecause of “broken communication methods and fragmented information.”
The study goes on to say that in some respect, employees point the finger at HR:
- While 43 percent of HR professionals who responded to the same study above, said they acted strategically in their role; but
- only 18 percent of employees viewed HR as strategic.
- Showing employees how they fit into the bigger business picture could go a long way toward engaging them.
Big Hint From Alysia:
Periodically leaders during the year, we should have our individual team (s) review the organization’s Vision, Mission, and Values; and ask the questions:
- Are we currently executing our Vision, Mission, Values to be more productive and effective?
- Are we showing our customers how our Vision, Mission, Values positively affect the customer?
- Is there clear and open communication within our teams and between all levels of the organization?
- Make HR a strategic partner in getting the workers familiar with their employer’s Vision, Mission, Values and how each person in the organizations is key in how their roles and duties help carry out that mission.