5 Ways to Re-Engage Disengaged Employees
Disengaged employees are normal for any company whether it be small business or a large corporation. There are numerous reasons why employees act negatively in the workplace, and although understandable can still cause long-terms for the company if not addressed properly. If you’re an employer or manager dealing with disengaged employees, here are five tips to help you out:
1. Consider flexible work hours
If your company work schedule allows it, consider flexible working hours for your employees. Flexible work hours allows employees to work at their preferred time as long as they complete the required hours for the day and week. Just make sure to install a time tracker so that you’ll be able to monitor their time as well as productivity.
A flexible schedule may be the answer to re-engage disengaged employees as they may be dealing with personal problems that creates a negative impact in the productivity. By allowing to work at their own time, they can spend more time with themselves and their families. If this type of work schedule isn’t possible, try shifting schedules not just for the concerned employee but for the entire team or department.
2. Create an open and collaborative culture
A common reason why employees become disengaged is because of a negative work environment and culture. Even though they get paid regularly, they feel they aren’t part of the company’s decision process. They also feel like they can’t connect or establish relationships with other employees. This is where you come in and establish an open and collaborative culture for everyone involved in the organization.
With a more collaborative work environment, employees can be more active and air their concerns without any prejudice. This type of environment also gives opportunities for employees to give suggestions on policies that need to be changed or improved. It has been proven numerous times that employees are more engaged if they’re part of the decision-making process. On the part of employers, lean towards using a democratic leadership style so that a better company culture will be achieved faster.
3. Set clear expectations
Every company needs to set clear expectations for their employees from the start. If expectations constantly change or are too vague, this will only confuse employees resulting in them becoming more disengaged than they already are. Additionally, unclear expectations are also some of the common reasons why organizations suffer high turnover rates.
To limit disengaged employees caused by this dilemma, make sure company policies are clear and concise. List down the job responsibilities of each employee and the goals (short-term and long-term) they need to accomplish. Also, coordinate with team or department heads to clarify the tasks they work on a regular basis. This allows clarity for everyone in the organization resulting in employees becoming more effective and efficient in their work.
4. Talk less and listen more
As previously mentioned, disengaged employees feel that they aren’t quite accepted in the companies they’re working in. This results in them becoming more out of touch as the days go by. They may even get quiet and distance themselves with colleagues. If this happens, try to understand the situation and don’t constantly ask if they’re feeling fine. They’ll distance themselves even more and may submit a resignation letter.
To address this situation, talk less and listen more. If you have a dedicated human resource department in the company, allow the head of the said department to handle the situation as they are well-versed in dealing with employee problems. If a human resources manager isn’t available especially if you’re running a small business, schedule a one-on-one with your employee to discuss their problems. Allow for a two-way conversation so that issues will be resolved at the earliest time possible. Don’t forget that these types of conversations are confidential and should never be shared to other people inside and even outside of the company.
5. Praise mistakes
Constantly reprimanding disengaged employees is never good for anyone involved. You’re not just inching them closer to resignation but it also paints a bad light for your company. As previously mentioned, practicing a democratic leadership style is best option in this situation so that disengaged employees will be re-engaged faster. Specifically, give them all the mental support they need by motivating them and praising their mistakes.
Struggling employees may commit more mistakes compared to others so prepared to offer a helping hand as much as possible. If they’re the type who are afraid to ask for help, reach out by sending a message. They may be embarrassed by their mistakes and want to avoid getting called out as much as possible. As previously mentioned, you can also invite them to a one-on-one meeting to discuss their concerns. Shouting and cursing is never the solution to any problem in the workplace and will only lead to more problems long-term. Employees who are at the receiving end of regular motivation will eventually turn mistakes into accomplishments.
In closing
Running a company with disengaged employees is completely normal. The question is how you will able to re-engage these types of employees so that they can return to their previous productive selves. With the five items listed above, you should be able to not only help them re-engage but also rediscover their passion and motivation for the job. Collaboration is key in every company so make sure to always have an open mind in dealing with disengaged workers.
