Employee engagement has taken a hit over the past few years. Since the pandemic–and likely predating it – trends such as quiet quitting and coffee badging have plagued the workplace, affecting company culture and productivity.

A recent Gallup survey found that in 2023, only 33 percent of employees were engaged in their work, while 50 percent of employees surveyed were not engaged and 18 percent were actively disengaged.

Increasing motivation and engagement hinges on a basic understanding of why employees are disengaged in the first place. Here are a few tips for enhancing motivation and engagement backed by behavioral science and tailored to today’s trends.

  1. Elevate intrinsic motivation and fuel behavior from the bottom up. Being “intrinsically motivated” means being motivated by internal factors–one’s values, connection to a mission, a sense of meaning and purpose, or pure enjoyment of the work–rather than external factors such as fear of ridicule, losing one’s job, social judgment, or even positive factors such as raises or bonuses.
    • Find out what’s important to them. How do their values overlap with those of the company or the work they’re doing?
    • Give employees some degree of input and autonomy over their work. The greatest way to engage people is to include them.
    • Collaboratively form a plan and follow up. Keep them connected to the “why” behind their plan connecting it back to values.
  1. Supercharge connection and team collaboration. Positive social relationships at work are important contributors to job satisfaction and engagement. Consider engaging your team in team-building exercises specifically designed to enhance collaboration.
  1. Make your employees feel cared about.
    • Say it outright. Simply tell your employees how much you care about their well-being. You might be surprised how far this can go.
    • Listen deeply. Create space for employees to express their concerns.
    • Implement feedback or say why you can’t. It is important for employees to feel heard and that you empathize with their concerns, even if nothing can change at the moment.
  1. Be transparent to deepen trust. Be honest with your employees and keep them informed about what is happening in the organization, even if it’s news they won’t necessarily like.

To have an energized and motivated workforce, organizations need to shift their emphasis from getting more out of people to putting more into them. By turning up the dial on transparency, empathy, social connection, and intrinsic motivation, you are more likely to create an atmosphere where engagement is high, and your organization can move closer to its higher potential.

 

References:
Inc. (2024, March 4) Matthew Goodman: 4 Ways to Engage with and Motivate Your Employees in 2024
CEO Magazine (2024, July 16) Lisa O’Neill: How to Keep Your Team Energetic and Engaged