Dear All, I came across this wonderful article and thought of sharing it with all you wonderful HR people.
How to Get Disengaged Employees to Go the Extra Mile
Some employees rest before they're tired. Others perk up in the parking lot at 5 o'clock. Some quit long ago but have forgotten to tell you. All these employees show up to work every day and give you the minimum effort to stay afloat. Some eventually leave, taking with them their knowledge, experience, and on-the-job training. We call these employees "the disengaged." A study shows that disengaged employees cost U.S. businesses $11 billion annually. The global situation isn't much better.
Many business owners and enterprise leaders try to cope with disengagement by sending employees to accountability training. Accountability training typically focuses on topics such as creating SMART goals, clarifying expectations, empowering employees, establishing regular progress reviews, and giving appropriate feedback. But a year later, even though everyone is now well-trained on the accountability cycle, the needle of engagement hasn't moved. Why is that?
That's because leaders need to look behind the curtain at the more prevalent causes of disengagement. Gary Hamel, a professor at London Business School and one of the world's top 50 Thinkers, puts it this way: "By far, the greatest untapped source of wealth and potential in any organization is all those people who have chosen on that particular day not to bring their imagination to work, not to bring their passion to work, not to bring their initiative to work... and the capabilities that we need most from our employees, their imagination, initiative... are exactly the capabilities that are most difficult to command. You cannot tell someone to show initiative or to be creative... those are literally gifts that people choose to bring into work every day or they don't."
As Hamel says, the question a manager needs to ask himself is not "How do I get people to serve my company?" but rather, "How do I create the work environment and a sense of purpose that literally merits the gifts of creativity and passion?" Hamel provides several tips, which include dramatically reducing the level of fear in organizations, depoliticizing decision-making (so decisions are the result of good ideas, not political power), democratizing information (so information is not used as a political weapon), and reducing the power of traditional hierarchy.
If you struggle with employee disengagement and a lack of accountability, the following tips can help you turn that around.
Take a good look at all the leaders in your organization. Research shows that one of the most important factors that affect employee engagement is the relationship with one's immediate manager. Evaluate all your leaders, from the back-office supervisors to the vice presidents—everyone who is directly in charge of others. There is no doubt that people flee bad managers. So, what do good managers do? A worldwide study of engagement shows that the managers who fuel engagement exhibit these specific behaviors: they are personally involved, they delegate and utilize their employees' talents, they don't withhold recognition, they actively foster a sense of community and belonging, and they provide feedback and coaching. Does every manager in your company do this?
Assess these 12 conditions. The Gallup Organization developed a 12-point gauge of conditions that best predict employee engagement. These are 12 simple but powerful conditions that every manager should consider. They include statements such as "At work, my opinions seem to count" and "In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work." Would everyone in your shop be able to answer "yes" to these? The full 12-point list is available in Feedback For Real, a Gallup Business Journal article.
Understand what drives people. If you're an old-school manager, you may be thinking that the carrot and stick approach is the best way to control people and push them to be more accountable. As Daniel H. Pink discovered in Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us, once basic financial needs are met—that is, once people are paid adequately for what they do—what truly motivates people is Autonomy (the need to direct their own lives), Mastery (the urge to continue to get better at something that matters), and Purpose (the desire to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves). Get to know your people on a human level. Focus not only on knowing their strengths but also on what their unique drivers are so you can tailor your approach for the best results.
Offer a cafeteria of motivators. If tight budgets prevent you from offering the compensation that people require, consider offering other motivators. A recent survey of employees revealed incentives that can work for some people, including a flexible schedule, an opportunity to make a difference in their jobs, telecommuting, more challenging work, academic reimbursement, and even having their own private office. All these are low-cost incentives to consider.
Eradicate unfairness. Fairness is treating people equitably without favoritism or bias. A sense of fairness is hardwired in us—nothing demotivates us faster than working in situations where getting ahead is not a function of what you know, but who you know. A recent study shows that the number-one reason people get sick is perceived unfairness at work. The emotional hurt associated with unfairness triggers the same neurophysiologic pathways present in physical pain. (My article "Monkey Business: Fairness in the Workplace" provides seven tips to help you promote fairness on your team.)
Does all this mean that accountability training doesn't count? On the contrary, knowing what constitutes accountability in your workplace is important; however, accountability training on its own is not the panacea for what's wrong with the engagement scores in an organization. For that, leaders need to step back and build a great place to work. They need to pay attention to a fundamental and often overlooked truth about people: How people feel profoundly affects whether or not they will go the extra mile for you.
Please share your views...
Regards,
Garima
From India, Pune
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14How to Get Disengaged Employees to Go the Extra Mile
Some employees rest before they're tired. Others perk up in the parking lot at 5 o'clock. Some quit long ago but have forgotten to tell you. All these employees show up to work every day and give you the minimum effort to stay afloat. Some eventually leave, taking with them their knowledge, experience, and on-the-job training. We call these employees "the disengaged." A study shows that disengaged employees cost U.S. businesses $11 billion annually. The global situation isn't much better.
Many business owners and enterprise leaders try to cope with disengagement by sending employees to accountability training. Accountability training typically focuses on topics such as creating SMART goals, clarifying expectations, empowering employees, establishing regular progress reviews, and giving appropriate feedback. But a year later, even though everyone is now well-trained on the accountability cycle, the needle of engagement hasn't moved. Why is that?
That's because leaders need to look behind the curtain at the more prevalent causes of disengagement. Gary Hamel, a professor at London Business School and one of the world's top 50 Thinkers, puts it this way: "By far, the greatest untapped source of wealth and potential in any organization is all those people who have chosen on that particular day not to bring their imagination to work, not to bring their passion to work, not to bring their initiative to work... and the capabilities that we need most from our employees, their imagination, initiative... are exactly the capabilities that are most difficult to command. You cannot tell someone to show initiative or to be creative... those are literally gifts that people choose to bring into work every day or they don't."
As Hamel says, the question a manager needs to ask himself is not "How do I get people to serve my company?" but rather, "How do I create the work environment and a sense of purpose that literally merits the gifts of creativity and passion?" Hamel provides several tips, which include dramatically reducing the level of fear in organizations, depoliticizing decision-making (so decisions are the result of good ideas, not political power), democratizing information (so information is not used as a political weapon), and reducing the power of traditional hierarchy.
If you struggle with employee disengagement and a lack of accountability, the following tips can help you turn that around.
Take a good look at all the leaders in your organization. Research shows that one of the most important factors that affect employee engagement is the relationship with one's immediate manager. Evaluate all your leaders, from the back-office supervisors to the vice presidents—everyone who is directly in charge of others. There is no doubt that people flee bad managers. So, what do good managers do? A worldwide study of engagement shows that the managers who fuel engagement exhibit these specific behaviors: they are personally involved, they delegate and utilize their employees' talents, they don't withhold recognition, they actively foster a sense of community and belonging, and they provide feedback and coaching. Does every manager in your company do this?
Assess these 12 conditions. The Gallup Organization developed a 12-point gauge of conditions that best predict employee engagement. These are 12 simple but powerful conditions that every manager should consider. They include statements such as "At work, my opinions seem to count" and "In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work." Would everyone in your shop be able to answer "yes" to these? The full 12-point list is available in Feedback For Real, a Gallup Business Journal article.
Understand what drives people. If you're an old-school manager, you may be thinking that the carrot and stick approach is the best way to control people and push them to be more accountable. As Daniel H. Pink discovered in Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us, once basic financial needs are met—that is, once people are paid adequately for what they do—what truly motivates people is Autonomy (the need to direct their own lives), Mastery (the urge to continue to get better at something that matters), and Purpose (the desire to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves). Get to know your people on a human level. Focus not only on knowing their strengths but also on what their unique drivers are so you can tailor your approach for the best results.
Offer a cafeteria of motivators. If tight budgets prevent you from offering the compensation that people require, consider offering other motivators. A recent survey of employees revealed incentives that can work for some people, including a flexible schedule, an opportunity to make a difference in their jobs, telecommuting, more challenging work, academic reimbursement, and even having their own private office. All these are low-cost incentives to consider.
Eradicate unfairness. Fairness is treating people equitably without favoritism or bias. A sense of fairness is hardwired in us—nothing demotivates us faster than working in situations where getting ahead is not a function of what you know, but who you know. A recent study shows that the number-one reason people get sick is perceived unfairness at work. The emotional hurt associated with unfairness triggers the same neurophysiologic pathways present in physical pain. (My article "Monkey Business: Fairness in the Workplace" provides seven tips to help you promote fairness on your team.)
Does all this mean that accountability training doesn't count? On the contrary, knowing what constitutes accountability in your workplace is important; however, accountability training on its own is not the panacea for what's wrong with the engagement scores in an organization. For that, leaders need to step back and build a great place to work. They need to pay attention to a fundamental and often overlooked truth about people: How people feel profoundly affects whether or not they will go the extra mile for you.
Please share your views...
Regards,
Garima
From India, Pune
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Disengaged Bosses Lead to Disengaged Staff
If the dream is the team's dream, we can have repeats of "Lagaan," "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke" type of things. We have to find the best bowling skills in Kachra and the team singing "Yuhi Kat Jayega Safar Sath chalne se."
The problem, if any, is with the boss, manager, self-proclaimed head, owner, or CEO of the organization.
People are employed for their qualifications, experience, and reference checks, but the most pertinent question is whether they will deliver the same results right now and right here.
An ill-defined goal gets the employee disengaged.
Pranam,
Nikhil
@amazingdowsing
From India, Vadodara
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If the dream is the team's dream, we can have repeats of "Lagaan," "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke" type of things. We have to find the best bowling skills in Kachra and the team singing "Yuhi Kat Jayega Safar Sath chalne se."
The problem, if any, is with the boss, manager, self-proclaimed head, owner, or CEO of the organization.
People are employed for their qualifications, experience, and reference checks, but the most pertinent question is whether they will deliver the same results right now and right here.
An ill-defined goal gets the employee disengaged.
Pranam,
Nikhil
@amazingdowsing
From India, Vadodara
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I would agree with autonomy and open communication to improve motivation. But do you really see the link in a country like India where basic financial needs are fulfilled, and the workforce can hence focus on mastery and purpose?
Fairness is such a subjective thing. No appraisal, even with an accountability element, is foolproof of perceptual judgment. There is always some level of subjectivity; hence, fairness is a very subjective phenomenon.
Regards,
Shikha
From India, New Delhi
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Fairness is such a subjective thing. No appraisal, even with an accountability element, is foolproof of perceptual judgment. There is always some level of subjectivity; hence, fairness is a very subjective phenomenon.
Regards,
Shikha
From India, New Delhi
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One of the common reasons, in my experience, is that employees may become disengaged when they feel that they don't count in the scheme of things. For example, in IT, one of my team members withdrew into a shell when she was not given design tasks but had to follow instructions and do only coding. Additionally, I have come across managers who are given work far below their potential (sometimes due to political reasons as well). The bottom line: Make the employee feel wanted and provide them with opportunities.
Regards,
From India, Hyderabad
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Regards,
From India, Hyderabad
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The Bottom Line:
A shift in HRM thinking from Human Resource Management to Humane Resource Management is fundamental. In an environment where associates (not employees/workers) find "space" where they can breathe and feel they matter, empowerment is created. Formally, there may still be line and staff functions, but informally they cease to exist. What happens now is that a culture of concerned, caring connectivity develops for everyone through some ongoing training mechanism. The next step demands that there is no mismatch between tasks/roles/responsibilities and the incumbent's likes/preferences/propensities. Now, skills only need to be polished through well-tailored T&D programs.
I haven't forgotten about making work fun! Fun is Functioning (F) with the You Attitude (U) being done with a spirit of Novelty (N) - this formula will work wonders!
From Pakistan, Karachi
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A shift in HRM thinking from Human Resource Management to Humane Resource Management is fundamental. In an environment where associates (not employees/workers) find "space" where they can breathe and feel they matter, empowerment is created. Formally, there may still be line and staff functions, but informally they cease to exist. What happens now is that a culture of concerned, caring connectivity develops for everyone through some ongoing training mechanism. The next step demands that there is no mismatch between tasks/roles/responsibilities and the incumbent's likes/preferences/propensities. Now, skills only need to be polished through well-tailored T&D programs.
I haven't forgotten about making work fun! Fun is Functioning (F) with the You Attitude (U) being done with a spirit of Novelty (N) - this formula will work wonders!
From Pakistan, Karachi
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Shikha, I feel its about taking small steps in this direction.. If we cant have a full proof system atleast we can aim for it and in the bargain if we reach even 80%.. its a victory
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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I am very impressed with the article, and I fully agree that fairness is indispensable if you want to have a motivated workforce. Also, as Ms. Garima has answered your doubt, it may not be 100% foolproof, but at least we can make it 80% effective. I would like to cite my own case. I did my MBA under a financial assistance scheme offered by my employer to employees pursuing higher studies. I also completed a PG Diploma in Management in Marketing (MBA in HRM). Naturally, I was hoping that the organization where I work would make good use of my acquired professional knowledge and, of course, the money spent on me.
Further, I appeared for a written test along with MBAs from other premium institutes and made it to the selection list in my own organization. (It was a management trainees selection but open to employees without an age limit). I passed the GD and was grilled for a 1 hour and 25 minutes interview! Other candidates were interviewed for 20-25 minutes on average. However, my 18 years of service and fresh MBA did not make an impact, but those having a godfather like Director/General Manager, top IAS officers, or better still some union minister as a godfather were appointed. Now I am at the fag end of my career, and as the article says, I leave all my creativity/innovative spirit, etc., at home while coming to work. It is not that I don't enjoy my subject. I am still very proud of my MBA degree and enjoy any discussion/debate on managerial subjects. But when it comes to office work, I somehow lose all interest.
Regards
From India, New Delhi
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Further, I appeared for a written test along with MBAs from other premium institutes and made it to the selection list in my own organization. (It was a management trainees selection but open to employees without an age limit). I passed the GD and was grilled for a 1 hour and 25 minutes interview! Other candidates were interviewed for 20-25 minutes on average. However, my 18 years of service and fresh MBA did not make an impact, but those having a godfather like Director/General Manager, top IAS officers, or better still some union minister as a godfather were appointed. Now I am at the fag end of my career, and as the article says, I leave all my creativity/innovative spirit, etc., at home while coming to work. It is not that I don't enjoy my subject. I am still very proud of my MBA degree and enjoy any discussion/debate on managerial subjects. But when it comes to office work, I somehow lose all interest.
Regards
From India, New Delhi
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I fully agree with the advocacy of fairness and openness in the work ecosystem. As managers, we are often conservative about the perks we receive and the benefits our positions provide. In the process, we sometimes overlook the sensitivities of the employees working with us. While our focus is always on appeasing the boss, we take little interest in our colleagues and subordinates. More often than not, we do not even know the background and family details of our team members. It is important to set targets, but even more important is securing employee buy-in. Targets are achieved only through employees, especially in the service industry. A very good case and very good discussions. Hats off to all who contributed to the enrichment of the community.
From India, Hyderabad
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From India, Hyderabad
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Appreciate everybody's thoughts and comments on the topic. Now that we know how important it is to keep employees motivated and engaged, I need your help to tackle this problem in my office. I am working for a small company, 30 years old, with around 100 employees across different branches. The company is currently in a transition phase of moving from traditional to a professional approach. HR is also a recent concept here. There are no clearly defined KRAs, KPIs, and no formal appraisal system too. Hence, job accountability is a problem here, and also, increments are not justified as per performance. It's not just the employees who suffer but also the company, as not many assume responsibility for their job and keep passing work around from one department to another. Another problem is due to the lack of SOPs; we are people-centric. So, the senior old employees enjoy much bigger pay than the work they do and play politics around.
Appraisal and KRA Setting
Appraisal, KRA setting, and all will take some time in setting. In the meantime, I have thought of a formal appreciation program to start off with, wherein we reward employees who are doing their job correctly and on time and taking initiatives. But my problem is what will be the criteria for this appreciation/on-the-spot awards due to the above-mentioned issues. For example, if a person is doing their routine job correctly and on time, do they need appreciation for it, and then how do we justify the appreciation to the rest of the staff? It could become a demotivator for others if not done in a correct manner.
I request all you senior, experienced HR professionals to kindly suggest some ways to handle this issue.
Thanks in advance,
Garima
From India, Pune
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Appraisal and KRA Setting
Appraisal, KRA setting, and all will take some time in setting. In the meantime, I have thought of a formal appreciation program to start off with, wherein we reward employees who are doing their job correctly and on time and taking initiatives. But my problem is what will be the criteria for this appreciation/on-the-spot awards due to the above-mentioned issues. For example, if a person is doing their routine job correctly and on time, do they need appreciation for it, and then how do we justify the appreciation to the rest of the staff? It could become a demotivator for others if not done in a correct manner.
I request all you senior, experienced HR professionals to kindly suggest some ways to handle this issue.
Thanks in advance,
Garima
From India, Pune
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A nice contribution by Garima on what factors make us or our employees demotivated and why we terminate or appraise them low.
Factors Leading to Employee Disengagement
Employees get disengaged due to many reasons:
• Political environment within the organization
• Lack of exposure provided to the employees
• Favoritism among team members by bosses
• High expectations from employees and low fulfillment of the same
• Repetitive tasks without new assignments
Steps to Motivate Disengaged Employees
To motivate disengaged employees, we can delegate or assign a new task for a trial period and observe their approach. If the approach is positive, we can provide training to the employee to ensure they perform well and set a benchmark for other disengaged employees in the organization. If there is no improvement in the approach, we may need to let the employee go. However, if there are positive changes in their approach and work process, we can nominate them for further training to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.
By implementing this approach wholeheartedly, I assure all HR professionals worldwide that we can retain the best talent and experienced employees.
Garima,
Initially, you can start by designing the appraisal form. Also, you need to assess what factors and categories you can include for Rewards and Recognition.
I am also attaching a file on Rewards & Recognition that I proposed and successfully implemented in my organization.
Regards,
From India, Mumbai
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Factors Leading to Employee Disengagement
Employees get disengaged due to many reasons:
• Political environment within the organization
• Lack of exposure provided to the employees
• Favoritism among team members by bosses
• High expectations from employees and low fulfillment of the same
• Repetitive tasks without new assignments
Steps to Motivate Disengaged Employees
To motivate disengaged employees, we can delegate or assign a new task for a trial period and observe their approach. If the approach is positive, we can provide training to the employee to ensure they perform well and set a benchmark for other disengaged employees in the organization. If there is no improvement in the approach, we may need to let the employee go. However, if there are positive changes in their approach and work process, we can nominate them for further training to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.
By implementing this approach wholeheartedly, I assure all HR professionals worldwide that we can retain the best talent and experienced employees.
Garima,
Initially, you can start by designing the appraisal form. Also, you need to assess what factors and categories you can include for Rewards and Recognition.
I am also attaching a file on Rewards & Recognition that I proposed and successfully implemented in my organization.
Regards,
From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Disengaged Employees: A Threat to Companies
Disengaged employees are a threat to companies. Keeping this in mind, HR managers and employers should always pay close attention to such employees.
Effective Ways to Motivate Disengaged Employees
Here are some effective ways to motivate disengaged employees to go the extra mile:
- Set clear expectations and goals
- Seek their feedback
- Enhance your performance evaluation process
- Encourage the free flow of their ideas
- Prioritize learning and career development programs for them
These are some of the simplest ways to create an environment where every employee feels their best and performs optimally.
The Importance of Communication
Most importantly, promoting robust communication in the workplace is undeniably the key to increasing employee engagement.
From India, Noida
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Disengaged employees are a threat to companies. Keeping this in mind, HR managers and employers should always pay close attention to such employees.
Effective Ways to Motivate Disengaged Employees
Here are some effective ways to motivate disengaged employees to go the extra mile:
- Set clear expectations and goals
- Seek their feedback
- Enhance your performance evaluation process
- Encourage the free flow of their ideas
- Prioritize learning and career development programs for them
These are some of the simplest ways to create an environment where every employee feels their best and performs optimally.
The Importance of Communication
Most importantly, promoting robust communication in the workplace is undeniably the key to increasing employee engagement.
From India, Noida
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Improve employee engagement and performance.pdf
Employee Motivation.ppt