Overcoming Employee Disengagement
7 December 2012
Read by 2024 persons
Most companies today face widespread employee disengagement, with serious consequences for their profitability. This is shown by economist Hubert Landier, author of a recent study* on the subject. But the trend is not irreversible!
The decrease in conflict in recent years does not necessarily correspond to an improvement in the social climate. Indeed, collective conflicts have given way to individual reactions of disengagement. However, these, less apparent, are just as costly for the company. They result in the appearance of sometimes hidden perverse effects: short-term absenteeism, errors, delays, decreased efficiency, negligence towards customers, psychosocial risks, turnover... "Often, it's a way of expressing a psychological break with one's company," interprets Hubert Landier.
A multifactorial phenomenon
The factors behind disengagement are multiple. "Management unavailability, lack of communication and visibility on the future are the three triggers of disengagement," says the study's author. Indeed, almost systematically, when individuals feel alone, left to themselves in their work, deprived of exchanges with their managers and poorly informed about their company's strategy, the risk of disengagement is high.
Considering the human dimension
High employee engagement translates into a performance-driven dynamic. According to Hubert Landier, the goal is to achieve four objectives: restore good work, empower employees at all levels of the organization, strengthen the sense of belonging and social dialogue.
This means not thinking in terms of short-term financial success but of overall long-term success. To do this, it is necessary to take into account the human dimension, that is, do not hesitate to leave room for maneuver and initiative at the local level. Procedural and centralized management methods at headquarters inevitably lead to disengagement, through a system of cascading decisions downwards, then reporting upwards.
Strengthening field initiatives
To strengthen employee engagement, you have to start by... listening to them! The "suggestion box" system is a traditional method that has proven its effectiveness. However, this is on the condition that good ideas from employees are considered quickly. If the system becomes bureaucratic, employees will not see the point and will disengage... Front-line managers obviously have a role to play in the engagement of their employees. They must be available, be good facilitators, show appreciation and... politeness! It may seem obvious, but forgetting the "morning hello" creates, in the long run, "internal anger" among employees, which inevitably leads to their disengagement.
* "Committed employees: management quality and company performance" (L'Institut de l'entreprise, 2012).
Marie-José Gava.
Etre-bien-au-travail.fr
Posted on December 7, 2012.
The decrease in conflict in recent years does not necessarily correspond to an improvement in the social climate. Indeed, collective conflicts have given way to individual reactions of disengagement. However, these, less apparent, are just as costly for the company. They result in the appearance of sometimes hidden perverse effects: short-term absenteeism, errors, delays, decreased efficiency, negligence towards customers, psychosocial risks, turnover... "Often, it's a way of expressing a psychological break with one's company," interprets Hubert Landier.
A multifactorial phenomenon
The factors behind disengagement are multiple. "Management unavailability, lack of communication and visibility on the future are the three triggers of disengagement," says the study's author. Indeed, almost systematically, when individuals feel alone, left to themselves in their work, deprived of exchanges with their managers and poorly informed about their company's strategy, the risk of disengagement is high.
Considering the human dimension
High employee engagement translates into a performance-driven dynamic. According to Hubert Landier, the goal is to achieve four objectives: restore good work, empower employees at all levels of the organization, strengthen the sense of belonging and social dialogue.
This means not thinking in terms of short-term financial success but of overall long-term success. To do this, it is necessary to take into account the human dimension, that is, do not hesitate to leave room for maneuver and initiative at the local level. Procedural and centralized management methods at headquarters inevitably lead to disengagement, through a system of cascading decisions downwards, then reporting upwards.
Strengthening field initiatives
To strengthen employee engagement, you have to start by... listening to them! The "suggestion box" system is a traditional method that has proven its effectiveness. However, this is on the condition that good ideas from employees are considered quickly. If the system becomes bureaucratic, employees will not see the point and will disengage... Front-line managers obviously have a role to play in the engagement of their employees. They must be available, be good facilitators, show appreciation and... politeness! It may seem obvious, but forgetting the "morning hello" creates, in the long run, "internal anger" among employees, which inevitably leads to their disengagement.
* "Committed employees: management quality and company performance" (L'Institut de l'entreprise, 2012).
Marie-José Gava.
Etre-bien-au-travail.fr
Posted on December 7, 2012.
