Q&A talks about how employers can better engage their workers with Kelleigh Marquard, metro market manager at Robert Half International in Hartford.
Q: Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace report reveals 70 percent of professionals polled say they are disengaged at work. What does that mean for employers and what can be done about it?
A: The results of this survey should be a wake-up call for many employers that employee morale and retention need to be major concerns right now. A disengaged staff can have a significant negative effect on productivity, business growth and customer service levels.
Companies that don’t make it a priority to keep their workers motivated and inspired risk losing them to other opportunities. Offering competitive pay, strong benefits and attractive perks, such as remote work arrangements, are good ways to ensure employees stay engaged.
Q: The poll also says perks don’t seem to help engage employees. What else is there besides perks? Is more compensation going to engage employees or does it come down to changing job responsibilities?
A: While salary and benefits obviously matter to today’s workers, it takes much more than money to retain good employees. Our research has shown that professionals want rewarding career paths, positive work environments, and praise and recognition, as well as competitive compensation. That said, companies that don’t pay staff fairly risk losing good employees to other opportunities.
There are also low cost strategies to boost employee engagement and those include promoting from within, employee recognition programs, and offering opportunities for professional development.
Q: Interestingly, the same poll says employees who work remotely report being the most engaged. Will this help employers overcome the belief that remote employees aren’t productive?
A: Employers are continuing to see that telecommuting programs that equip workers with productivity tools they will need — such as a laptop, cell phone and the ability to connect to secure corporate networks safely — can allow workers to be equally productive no matter where they are.
In fact, productivity of remote workers may increase because they have fewer interruptions and save time commuting. Other benefits of offering remote work arrangements include employee retention, increased work/life balance, and cost savings.
Telecommuting is best for employees who perform work autonomously and might not be ideal for staff who manage teams or those who deal with clients regularly.
Companies considering implementing telecommuting programs should implement clear guidelines for staff, outlining expectations of how frequently they can work out of the office and when they are expected to be on-site.
Q: What signs can an employee look for to realize he or she is disengaged? Is it time to move on when employees are no longer engaged?
A: All professionals go through rough patches in their careers, but a consistent drop in productivity, missed deadlines, longer lunch breaks, and frequent absences can signal that an employee is no longer engaged in their job.
If you’re trying to evaluate whether it’s time to move on, ask yourself two key questions: What do I stand to gain by remaining in the position, and can I adopt coping mechanisms that will enable me to manage through difficult situations?
Your answers will help you decide whether to stay or pursue other opportunities.
Q: Millennials, according to Gallup, are most likely of all generations to say they will leave their jobs in the next 12 months if the job market improves. What are the challenges specific to millennials that makes them ready to jump? How do managers counteract this?
A: Millennials value work/life balance, a corporate culture they can identify with, a competitive salary, and opportunities to learn, contribute, and develop their skills. Younger professionals are more likely to seek greener pastures if they don’t feel passionate about the company they work for, so employers need to offer the appropriate pay, benefits, and opportunities to retain millennials.
Professionals in this age range also want to work for managers they can learn from. In general, they like their managers to check in frequently.
While they want to work autonomously, they want to know that they are on the right track. So, managers who are hiring these professionals may want to “sell” themselves as good future bosses who will give employees a lot of feedback.
When recruiting 20-somethings or workers of any generation, it’s important for companies to really emphasize their corporate culture, the benefits they offer and what’s unique and meaningful about working there. In a competitive job market, firms that do this will have an edge on the competition.
