Research: Employees Who Lack Engagement Also Lack Loyalty

Hiring a new employee can be an exciting time for your business, especially if you have high expectations for what they will contribute to the team. It’s not uncommon to celebrate this new individual with much fanfare, only to forget about their role as soon as they settle in. This isn’t exactly the best approach when it comes to workforce optimization, so how do you break the cycle?

This is an important question as research into employee satisfaction suggests there’s significant room for improvement. In fact, according to a Manpower survey, 83 percent of the workforce in North America plans to seek new employers in 2014. This staggering finding is supported by an annual Gallup Engagement Survey that shows workers are disengaged at an all-time high.

While some companies like to tout that their employees are their greatest asset, still too many view their staff as a liability. While many companies have a Chief Social Media Officer, according to a Sun Times report, they fail to recognize the people who are responsible for actually executing on those social media operations.

This approach fails to recognize the important role talented people play in any company. They have the potential to make or break the bottom line. Yet too many companies are still being led by archaic strategies and fail to maximize profitability. When employees don’t understand how a company makes and manages money, they won’t know if their actions or behaviors are in line with organizational goals.

Workforce optimization is focused on employee engagement. It’s not a complex process, but it does execute on the alignment between strategy, structure, processes, rewards and people. Too often, high level staff members are too focused on the day-to-day operations to notice what needs attention within the business. Employees are naturally given a backseat where they have ample time to look for their next opportunity.

Ideally, the best situation is one where employers are engaging their employees in the processes necessary to run the business. Employees asked to contribute ideas and strategies that can improve productivity, boost outcomes and even improve the bottom line are much more satisfied with their role, especially if their ideas are taken seriously.

With NICE’s workforce optimization tools, companies have the opportunity to take the individual preferences of employees into account so as to drive better outcomes. These individuals are treated like individuals who are an important part of the team. In doing so, they are better equipped to work with other team members toward the achievement of a common goal.