It may start out as a minor nuisance. Then you begin to notice arguments with managers, longer-than-normal lunch breaks, or more wasted time. But before you know it, those small problems begin to add up, and it’s beginning to impact your teams and products.Your office has a disengaged employee.
How Employee Disengagement Will Impact Your Business
Employee disengagement may be a larger problem than you realize.According to a recent study by Gallup, 85 percent of global employees admit they are at some level of disengagement at work. This problem could have long-lasting and negative impacts on your business.Here are four consequences of employee disengagement that you may not have considered.1. Increased Employee TurnoverPeople who are unhappy are not likely to stay in a place that makes them miserable. This is especially true in the workplace.Recent studies have found dissatisfaction with their boss, lack of opportunities for growth, and salary are the main reasons people leave their jobs. This means a disengaged employee probably won’t be sticking around for too long. Losing a worker who isn’t engaged at work might not seem like a bad thing, but when you consider the time, effort, and money involved in finding a replacement, it becomes more than just a hassle.2. Difficulty Attracting New EmployeesWord of mouth and reputation is everything.Unless a prospective employee has a contact in your company, they will likely turn to online reviews for information. Studies have shown that people are more likely to leave negative reviews than positive ones, which means there’s a greater chance that dissatisfied and disengaged employees will be posting about their bad experiences.This could scare potential employees away and make it more difficult for you to find quality talent.3. Loss of ProductivityDisengaged employees could also make it more difficult to maintain an efficient and productive workforce.Statistics show that disengaged employees in the United States cost their employers between $960 billion and $1.2 trillion each year in lost productivity. For every disengaged employee in your business you are throwing away $34,000 for every $100,000 you are paying them. Disengaged employees generally lack motivation and likely are not concerned about finishing projects by their due dates and can impact the productivity of an entire team or department.4. Increased Safety RisksEmployees who are not engaged can create additional safety hazards in the workplace.Businesses with poor employee engagement average 62 percent more accidents compared to organizations with happy workers. It could be that disengaged workers are not paying close attention to their work or don’t have pride in the work they are doing. Or perhaps a team is short-staffed due to a disengaged employee skipping a shift. Regardless of the reason, employees who are not happy in their jobs may be putting other workers at risk.
Employee Disengagement Costs You in the End
Disengaged employees could be directly tied to a loss of business revenue.As evidenced by the stats above, workers who are dissatisfied are less likely to contribute their full attention to their tasks and projects. This means delays or less products produced, which means less money. In fact, businesses who have engaged employees have noted 21 percent greater profitability.Fortunately, there are ways you can combat employee disengagement to improve your workplace productivity and increase your bottom line. Reach out to an Engage & Grow specialist today who will help you take steps to improve your company’s engagement levels.