5 Ways to Turn a Talented Employee into a Disengaged Worker

Employees are the life-source of any company. A company's success or failure is contingent upon the performance of its team. That said, it is important for management to ensure that their staff is engaged. However, for a vast majority of businesses, that simply isn't the case. According to Gallop's State of the American Workplace report, an outstanding 70 percent of employees are disengaged at work. Your employees may not leave the company, but they quit working, so to speak. So, what's going on in the workplace? Here are 5 reasons why your talent stops producing and starts becoming complacent.

1. Job Expectations Fall Short

The recruitment process is pertinent to acquiring top talent. You want to seem competitive to a potential new-hire but it's not a good idea to oversell your company. Be sure to use an online application that gives a positive, yet honest description of what the job entails. This will help ensure that potential employee expectations match that of the company's. Don't be afraid to display pay and other perks about your company. It can be very beneficial to you and your applicants.

2. Underutilize Employees

One of the many perks that come with having talented employees is that they want to be challenged in the workplace. Problem is, if the company does not rise to the occasion, employees become bored and complacent "When people get bored they become disengaged," says Richard Chaifetz, a neuropsychologist and the CEO of ComPsych , explains in an interview in Forbes. Empower employees by asking for input and allowing them to own their work and results.

3. Micromanaging Employees

If you're constantly checking on the progress of an employee or asking for detailed accounts of their daily activities, odds are you're micromanaging. Engaged employees are motivated, it's in their nature to get the job done without a boss breathing down their neck. Employers run the risk of lowering morale by micromanaging. Giving your team the autonomy and trust to do their assignments will ultimately help the business. A study by training consultant, Dale Carnegie found 40 percent of employees who felt their leadership didn't micromanage were more engaged in the workplace.

4. Putting the Blame on Your Staff

Passing the buck is one of the biggest ways to lose trust within your people. When an employee fails—or even just performs poorly—managers typically do not blame themselves. This creates distrust and resentment within the workplace. If not resolved, that cycle will create employees who are not interested in their performance. In order for employees to produce great work, they need to feel that their leadership has their best interests at heart. Leaders who approach their staff from a supportive role are less likely to have disengaged employees.

5. Unclear Communication

In today's tech driven world, the ability to communicate is very easy. The struggle with companies lies in the delivery and frequency of communication. When communication is misinterpreted and not resolved, the workplace becomes disconnected and morale erodes, turning a once high-performing employee into a pencil pusher. Employers who communicate regularly with employees lessen the risk of creating a workforce that feels undervalued and unappreciated. Bottom line, clear and concise communication from leadership instills trust and assurance within employees.

Employee engagement is a hot button issue for majority of companies, as it should be. Understanding how and why employees become disengaged at work is the first step to combatting the problem. Transparency and mutual respect will help in resolving these issues, should they arise, while keeping your employees engaged and feeling positive in the workplace.

Hiring the right employees from the beginning can only help with engagement and productivity. Check out our eBook Top 5 Proven Ways to Increase Your Qualified Applicants.