US companies saw an estimated $1.9 trillion in productivity losses last year due to dissatisfied employees, Gallup research finds. Just one-third of respondents said they are engaged at their jobs and half said they are putting in the minimum effort.
Researchers noted that post-pandemic, more workers are feeling disconnected and unsure of their employers’ expectations. Jim Harter, chief scientist for Gallup’s workplace practice, says employees are seeking “a coaching-manager type who really thinks about their development.”
He recommends weekly one-on-one check-ins with employees, as well as encouragement to collaborate with coworkers. Guidance on collaboration can boost employees’ clarity on their roles from less than 50% to about 80%. It’s important for employees to “feel like what they do at work connects to something bigger than themselves,” Harter noted.
Better employee engagement will, in turn, bring important gains for the organization, including higher productivity and profits and increased worker retention.
