Employee Engagement: Hard to Generate and Quick to Lose

Employee engagement is a delicate dance that can be difficult to perfect. It’s something every organization strives for but often finds challenging to maintain. In today’s rapidly evolving work environment, keeping employees engaged is more critical than ever. However, engagement is fragile, and without continuous effort, it can quickly slip away.

The challenge of building engagement

Engagement isn’t something you can mandate; it’s an organic process that requires the right environment to flourish. Employees today are looking for more than just a paycheck—they want to feel connected to their work, their colleagues, and the overall mission of the organization. This connection, however, is personal and varies from one individual to the next, making it a complex challenge for companies to address effectively.

There are many obstacles to maintain a good level of engagement. Some are physical. In our new world of work, hybrid and remote teams are becoming the norm. Indeed, employees are specifically looking for companies that allow them the flexibility to have a better work-life balance. Companies offering these options can see a boost in engagement levels. But it’s a double-edged sword as well seeing as it’s a unique challenge to build engagement with teams who rarely meet in-person.

That puts the onus on the company, and manager, to take the time to build a culture that supports open communication, trust, and a balanced workload. When this is achieved, engagement tends to increase. But as quickly as you can build your supportive, engaging team culture, things can always shift and change.

Read more: Why are companies racing to invest in employee development?

How quickly engagement can fade

While building engagement takes time and effort, losing it can happen in the blink of an eye. Factors such as poor leadership, lack of recognition, or misalignment with the company’s mission can quickly erode the engagement you’ve worked so hard to create. In today’s competitive job market, disengaged employees are more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere, taking their skills and knowledge with them.

A significant contributor to disengagement is the feeling of being undervalued. Employees want to feel that their contributions matter and are recognized. When recognition is inconsistent or absent, it can lead to feelings of frustration and a loss of motivation. Similarly, if employees feel disconnected from the company’s goals or believe their work lacks purpose, their engagement levels can drop dramatically.

And let’s not forget our company leaders. Along with feeling valued and recognized, leadership style has a huge impact on engagement. In fact, up to 70% of the variance in employee engagement can be attributed to the team’s manager, according to Gallup. That means that companies who have a leadership development pipeline and invest in training their managers to be as effective as possible have an edge. They are using strategies that improve productivity along with engagement at the same time. And making that change likely gets reflected in their turnover numbers.

Read more: Dial your team up to eleven with Team Effectiveness Training

How McQuaig can help

So if you’re running a team and you want to protect engagement, how can McQuaig help? You know we have the answer to that! By providing insights into individual motivations, strengths, and development areas, McQuaig helps organizations tailor their engagement strategies to meet the unique needs of each employee. Here’s how McQuaig products can boost engagement:

• Personalized Development Plans: McQuaig’s assessments allow managers to understand the specific strengths and growth areas of their team members. This knowledge can be used to create personalized development plans that align with each employee’s career goals, ensuring they feel supported and valued.
  
  
• Better Team Dynamics: Understanding the behavioural styles of team members can help managers build more cohesive teams. When employees understand each other’s working styles, it reduces conflict and fosters a more collaborative environment, which is key to maintaining engagement.

• Enhanced Leadership Development: McQuaig’s leadership assessments help identify the traits and behaviours that make for effective leaders. By developing leaders who are empathetic, communicative, and supportive, organizations can create a culture where employees feel connected and motivated to contribute.

• Ongoing Feedback and Recognition: With tools that provide continuous feedback, McQuaig helps organizations build a culture of recognition. Regular feedback ensures that employees know their efforts are noticed and appreciated, which is crucial for sustaining engagement over time.

At McQuaig, our goal is to help you better hire, retain, and develop your people. Happy, healthy teams are our bread and butter. If you feel engagement slipping, try leveraging assessments and see what a difference they can make to your team dynamics.

Don’t let employee engagement decline

Employee engagement is a dynamic process that requires ongoing effort and adaptation. While it’s challenging to build, it’s even easier to lose. However, with the right tools and strategies, organizations can create an environment where engagement thrives. McQuaig’s products are designed to help companies understand and meet the needs of their employees, ensuring that engagement is not just achieved but maintained.