Signs of Disengagement
Identifying a disengaged workforce requires a keen understanding of subtle indicators, including decreased productivity, absenteeism, low morale, and lack of enthusiasm towards work tasks. Research from McKinsey & Company underscores the importance of proactive measures to address disengagement, as it can have far-reaching consequences for organisational performance and culture.
Gender Disparity in Engagement
Studies have shown varying levels of engagement between genders, with factors such as leadership representation, work-life balance, and opportunities for advancement influencing these disparities. We have seen dramatic decreases in engagement since 2020, and according to a report published by Gallup it is mainly younger generations (usually below 35 years old) that are feeling the effects.
Research from Deloitte highlights the importance of gender diversity and inclusive leadership in fostering engagement and driving business outcomes.
Impact of Hybrid Working: The shift towards hybrid working models, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has introduced new challenges in maintaining employee engagement and here we see that disengagement happens across the board. People prefer to have hybrid flexibility around their work because it positively impacts their wellbeing and makes them feel happy and engaged at work. On the other hand, employers are inclined to believe that they need to get their employees back in the office to boost engagement, this isn’t actually working. Arguably while hybrid arrangements offer flexibility, they also pose risks of isolation, communication barriers, and blurred work-life boundaries. A participant in a recent Gallup study stated that the reasons for disengagement were quite varied and complex. Employees were not feeling cared about, not being encouraged in their development, or felt they had few opportunities to grow. Interestingly, amongst senior managers, some stated they didn’t have meaningful friendships at work! It is evident that engagement is intrinsically linked with value and leadership, but the common misconception is that it is the employees’ fault for not engaging with work. What is evident is that care and the fostering of relationships at work is necessary at all levels.
Disengagement manifests in different ways, the most active disengagement is where employees exhibit overt signs of disinterest and may actively undermine team efforts or company objectives. In passive disengagement employees will appear indifferent or apathetic towards their work, resulting in decreased productivity and lack of initiative. According to McKinsey, there are 6 different types of employees when it comes to being engaged or disengaged, these 6 archetypes lay across a spectrum of satisfaction, from completely disengaged to high commitment. Whilst it is important not to generalise, it’s a pretty good guide to help managers at least see the signs and take necessary actions at an individual level to respond appropriately.
The Quitters: Estimated at roughly 10% of any typical organisation, these are the people that are already on their way out the door. They are completely unsatisfied and are likely to be looking for a different job.
The Disruptors: These are employees who are actively disengaged but are demoralising others. They are often committed to the job but have low levels of productivity.
The Mildly Disengaged: These people usually make up a sizeable chunk (32%) of the workforce and end up doing the bare minimum to get by in the job. They put the time and effort into tasks but don’t seem to be proactive about the organisation or their career.
The Double Dippers: Often remote workers, these employees are people that have more than one job without their employers’ knowledge which usually has a negative impact on their productivity.
The Committed: Making up 38% of most organisations, these employees are the ones that are reliable and will often go above and beyond for their employer.
The Thriving Stars: The thriving stars are the top talent in your team, the ones who bring huge value to the company and are 100% committed at work. They have a good work-life balance and have found meaning in the job.
The Cost of Disengagement
The cost of disengagement extends beyond productivity losses, encompassing recruitment expenses, training costs, loss of key knowledge of products and services which is hard to quantify. The bigger cost is when it creates damage to company brand value. Research from Deloitte underscores the financial impact of disengagement, with disengaged employees costing organisations billions annually in turnover and lost productivity.
Trying to address disengagement requires a multi-faceted approach and the focus needs to shift onto employers and give them the right tools or solutions to become more in touch with young people, their everyday life and work challenges. Organisations must adapt their engagement strategies to accommodate the evolving needs of remote and hybrid teams. It’s worth noting that businesses with highly engaged teams saw profitability increase by 21% and output increase by 40%. So, in other words, dealing with disengagement may feel like grasping the nettle – but the evidence suggests that it is in the best interest of employers to prioritise engagement in the workplace if they are to see growth and profitability.
Leadership Engagement:
Firstly, the leadership needs to be on board and understand the cost of ignoring the problem, because the effect on the bottom line will be the compelling driver to create a change, in other words – ignore it at your peril!
Leaders need to cultivate a culture of trust, transparency, and open communication from leadership to inspire employee commitment and alignment with organisational goals.
Employee Development is a key area of focus for leadership to really address the issues. Managers need to recognise good skills and reward these by providing opportunities for skill development, career advancement, and mentorship to foster a sense of purpose and investment in employees’ professional growth. If these are not available due to organisational structure, then managers need to flag this to the leadership team. They can’t fix things or make strategic changes if the communication between managers and leaders is not a two-way process. From this framework, managers and leaders can better spot symptoms of disengagement and how to prevent it from happening.
It is crucial to remind both your top-star employees and those who are disengaging of the importance and quality of their work on a consistent basis, to avoid them slipping into dissatisfaction. We may think that rewards or a pat on the back is for our children, but employees need a pat on the back too, and that’s what they mean about care.
In the above study, researchers also found working environments and structures impacted the rate of an employees’ engagement. Most top-performing workers work from home or in a hybrid setting, citing that coming to the office negatively affected their wellbeing, therefore their feelings towards the job. It’s important for leaders to not fall down the get-back-to-the-office rabbit hole, as there is not much evidence to suggest this will help their employees. Instead, be mindful of peoples’ situations and offer a range of working conditions that are inclusive of everyone’s needs. An increased sense of agency and responsibility can help too, particularly among the mildly engaged. Giving those employees who are struggling to see the value in work different types of tasks or projects will help to work their brains in different ways, sparking inspiration and enthusiasm.
Well-being Initiatives
Prioritise employee well-being through wellness programs that have preventative effects rather than solution remedies. Having access to physiotherapy means you’re fixing problems; wellness is about prevention and helping employees access resources that will enhance their lives. Look at more holistic approaches to create workplace wellness and resilience. Ask for suggestions for wellness initiatives and implement regular feedback loops, pulse surveys, and performance evaluations to solicit employee input, address concerns, and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.
In conclusion, recognising and addressing workforce disengagement is crucial for maintaining a thriving organisational culture and achieving sustainable business success. Remember, engagement needs to be part of a wider holistic approach to all aspects of employee wellbeing. It’s no good focusing on decreasing disengagement if their other basic needs aren’t being met, like their mental or physical health for example. If you’d like to learn how to create a successful employee wellbeing program, get in touch with Your Work Wellness/me to find out how we can help build your solution that is bespoke to your organisation.
By understanding the signs, embracing diversity, adapting to hybrid working, and implementing targeted interventions, organisations can cultivate an engaged workforce poised for excellence, innovation, growth and profitability.
https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/forget-work-perks-millennial-employees-value-engagement/
https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-engage-a-disengaged-employee/
McKinsey & Company. (2021). Employee experience: The role of workplace culture in achieving business objectives. Retrieved from [link]
Deloitte. (2020). 2020 Global Human Capital Trends. Retrieved from [link]
About Kumud Gandhi
Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Motivational Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace. In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing. Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. In 2022 Kumud Gandhi co-founded ‘Your Work Wellness’ where she is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organisations to create transformational change in productivity and performance through wellness strategies, nutrition and personal health coaching.