Last week we celebrated Groundhog Day… again! Bill Murray’s classic movie by the same name forever linked that day with our cultural definition: a monotonous day constantly repeating where nothing ever seems to change. Employees acknowledge feeling this way at work. What’s a leader to do?

This Week’s Edition

What role do leaders play in solving the near professional epidemic of employee disengagement?

Clarify Your Thinking

“Robin, the results aren’t great,” Josh, a C-Suite executive, said. “Our annual employee survey indicates that engagement is down across the board.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. At least you know where you stand,” I shared.

“Of course. But I’m still frustrated at the results because I feel like we offer an amazing work experience in a very interesting industry.” 

Josh’s experience is not an outlier. 80% of employees are disengaged and have been for a while. 

Employees who are disengaged are not as productive, foster resentment towards top performers and have a higher chance of quiet quitting (50% of employees are “quiet quitting”). All of which decreases revenue and increases costs at a time when organizations are facing a growing competitive landscape and an economic recession.

Old Thinking: As a leader, I’m doing everything I can to provide a great work environment. No one has missed a paycheck yet. Why can’t everyone just do what they are supposed to do and enjoy doing it? 

New Thinking: If disengagement is a problem, as the leader I need to help identify a solution. I am responsible, on some level, to provide interesting work for the right people to be engaged and move the organization forward. 

Thoughts Lead to Actions

One key contributor, among many, to the disengagement phenomenom is monotony. 43% to 53% of employees are bored at work. Apparently the cost of bored workers in the U.S. is $500 billion per year. 

That boredom plays out every day. You can almost see the thought bubble over some employees, “I’m just a cog in the system. Why am I doing what I am doing?” 

The pandemic has awakened most people to the reality that life is short and purpose matters. Many are no longer living lives of quiet desperation, complacently accepting the monotony of their life let alone their work environment. 

That is why some generations demand their company have a meaningful mission that they can actively further.

The leader’s role is to cast a vision and define the mission. Of course. But this may not be enough. Consider these three things to promote more engagement on your team and in your organization. Engage your team member by: 

1. Asking them which parts of their job they enjoy most and which parts they find themselves being more disengaged. 

2. Asking them their point of view or perspective on a work challenge.

3. Asking them to contribute their skills to an initiative that is new for them and may stretch them. 

By engaging in these three ways, you will begin to show them that:

• You see them

• You care about their role in the company and 

• You are committed to their success by proactively helping them develop 

Boost Your Performance

Josh started his one-on-one conversations and learned a lot about his team members. Find out how he found time to have the conversations and what he learned in the process in this week’s video.

What’s Your Opinion?

How do you engage your team? Share it with me at robin.pou@robinpou.com. 

If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!

Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist

We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders. 

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What is “The Confident Leader”?

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.