A new Gallup poll has found that U.S. employees are feeling a bit unengaged in the workplace, and given the cost feeling detached has on productivity, employers should take note.
The survey reports that by the end of 2023, 33% of employees felt engaged at work. That's down from 34% in the middle of the year.
For context, Gallup shows that since 2000, employee engagement reached its highest in January 2020 at 36%.
The good news, though, is that percentage of employees who feel "actively disengaged" dropped from 18% in 2022 to 16% last year. The survey defines active disengagement as "loud quitting." In 2023, however, 50% of employees were not engaged, or "quiet quitting" — a term I actively hate.
So let's talk about why so many employees felt this way last year.
Gallup points out that employees feel they have less clear expectations of them, they have lower levels of satisfaction with their companies and they feel less of a connection to the company's mission or purpose compared to four years ago.
"They are also less likely to feel someone at work cares about them as a person," Gallup reports.
The drop in clarity of what's expected of employees could stem from several reasons. The report notes that 51% of managers who responded to the survey said restructuring teams post-pandemic has caused major complications, and layoffs, budget cuts and other staffing changes likely played a part here.
Sixty-four percent of managers said that employees have additional job responsibilities. Many also said customers want "a more immediate digital experience."
Seventy percent of managers said they received no formal training on how to lead a hybrid team of in-office and remote workers.
The write-up on the survey offers plenty of insight, but one thing of note I thought was helpful was the section on feedback. The area with the largest drop associated with less clear expectations centered on how much meaningful feedback employees felt they received.
Gallup found that meaningful conversations between managers and employees include recognition and discussion about collaboration, goals, priorities and the employee’s strengths.
"These conversations prevent employees from feeling disconnected from the organization because managers stay in touch with what each employee contributes and can then articulate how that work affects the larger organization," Gallup writes. "The conversations ensure that expectations can be adjusted as the business needs change and in what ways those changing expectations interact with coworker roles."
The labor market overall has shifted a bit in recent years. The hospitality sector in particular has made gains in attracting new talent and filling open roles. The trick now, as always, is holding on to those people and helping them grow their careers in hospitality. Making sure employees feel they have a fulfilling workplace is just as important to job satisfaction as a wage that does more than just cover the basics.
While it's true that fewer people are job hopping now compared to recent years, the economy still appears to be rolling along without too many hiccups. As long as the economy remains steady enough, and people feel like the grass is greener elsewhere, there's the chance they'll jump the fence.
We constantly hear how employees are companies' "greatest assets" as they're the ones who take care of guests, so it's necessary to make sure that companies have the policies — and practices — to back that up.
You can reach me at bwroten@hotelnewsnow.com as well as LinkedIn.
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