Employee Disengagement and the Impact of Leadership

In the twenty-first century, businesses and organizations constantly struggle to innovate and adapt to changing technology, markets, and environmental conditions. The need for greater productivity and efficiency builds anxiety and stress for all involved, but perhaps more destructively, it can lead to disengagement among employees, staff, and volunteers. Disengagement is a major problem, with estimates suggesting nearly over 70% of the workforce are disengaged in certain areas (Rastogi et al., 2018). This issue is complicated by the lack of identification and adequate addressing of the causes and symptoms associated with disengagement at the workplace (Wolff, 2019). This article will define employee disengagement, identify contributing factors that lead to employee disengagement, and provide leadership strategies toward addressing disengagement among employees.

What is Employee Engagement?

To effectively describe disengagement, it is necessary to define what engagement is in the employee context. Employee engagement can be broadly described as having a positive attitude toward their company/organization and a desire to aid and contribute to its success. In other words, engagement is often related to commitment and loyalty toward one's organization (Markos & Sridevi, 2010). Employee engagement is important to organizational performance and success (Pech & Slade, 2006).

What, Then, is Disengagement, and What Causes It?

Disengagement is often defined by its symptoms, which include slow working tempo, lack of interest in work, easy and prolonged distraction, and minimal output (Pech & Slade, 2006). Disengaged employees often possess negative attitudes toward their work and organization. These negative attitudes have been shown to have detrimental effects on organizational productivity and success. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, there is a real need for organizational managers and leaders to identify contributing factors that lead to disengagement quickly. Below is a list of four key factors identified by Rastogi et al., 2018:

1. Lack of Job Resources- this refers to the absence of the various aspects of a job that supplement the work experience: things that provide a support structure, promote growth and development, or aid directly with job activities.
2. Lack of Job Control- this refers to the inability of an employee to make decisions about their work (i.e. the path or approach taken toward task completion). A lack of job control is associated with lower autonomy and decisiveness among employees.
3. Lack of Job Complexity- this refers to a lack of creativity, complexity or challenge associated with assigned tasks. Monotonous and repetitive tasks contribute directly to disengagement among employees.
4. Lack of Organizational Support- this refers to a lack of support from supervisors, co-workers, and the organization itself. Examples of a lack of organizational support include excessive job expectations, uncooperative co-workers, and lack of supervisor consideration.

How Do We Address Employee Disengagement?

Given the significant positive impacts of employee engagement on organizational success, it follows that disengagement has equally significant negative impacts. Engagement and disengagement are not switches you can turn on and off. You cannot suddenly make employees engaged or disengaged; however, as managers and leaders, our approach and relationships with our employees can have a major impact on creating an engaging working environment. Dr. David MacLeod, companion member at Chartered Management Institute in London, UK, emphasized that employee engagement is a workplace approach that helps to create the conditions in which employees can reach their highest potential and capability. In Wolff, 2019, the author discusses four leadership and management strategies to address the psychological needs related to employee engagement.

1. Make employees feel valued and understood. Actively listen to employee concerns and ideas, creating an open dialogue between the organization and the employees.
2. Match employee interests in tasks/job positions when possible. People work harder when interested in what they are doing; therefore, as a manager or leader, assign tasks that match employee interests whenever possible.
3. Clarify and lay out the purpose of the assigned work. Make it clear to employees the rationale behind their work. If possible, describe their contribution in the larger project or program context.
4. Create a healthy tension or level of competition. To boost productivity, hold employees to a high but reasonable standard, and ensure accountability if expectations are not met.

References

Markos, S., & Sridevi, M. S. (2010). Employee Engagement: The Key to Improving Performance. International Journal of Business and Management, 5(12), 89-96.

Pech, R., & Slade, B. (2006). Employee disengagement: is there evidence of a growing problem? Handbook of Business Strategy, 21-25.

Rastogi, A., Pati, S. P., Krishnan, T. N., & Krishnan, S. (2018). Causes, Contingencies, and Consequences of Disengagement at Work: An Integrative Literature Review. Human Resource Development Review, 17(1), 62-94.

Wolff, B. (2019). The Truth About Employee Disengagement. Canadian Manager, 44(1) 13-14.