Organizations around the world are facing a common problem — a crisis of employee engagement. A recent survey from The Conference Board found that 30% of polled workers report that their level of engagement at work — that is, the commitment and connection that employees feel to their work — is lower than six months ago. With low employee engagement comes decreased productivity and retention.
While some executives believe getting their workforces back into the office can reverse dropping engagement levels, the Conference Board’s research finds that work location has no impact on engagement levels. On-site and hybrid employees are as likely to feel low engagement in their jobs as those fully remote employees.
How can companies build a culture that keeps their employees engaged wherever they work? Leaders at every level are the key to cultivating a workplace (whether virtual or in-person) where teams experience positive connections with each other, leading to renewed commitment and engagement with their work.
Managers have the biggest influence on an employee’s experience within a company. If managers take the time to build meaningful connections with their teams, they can move them away from a mentality of focusing on only completing their basic responsibilities. Instead, by coaching leaders to be more empathetic and trusting in their teams, stronger relationships are created, boosting engagement, productivity, and creativity in the long run.
What are more ways an organization’s leaders reengage their employees and keep them engaged during continued uncertain times? In the second episode of Udemy’s Leading Up podcast, Samuel Ragsdale, Head of L&D at 3M, talks to host Alan Todd, Vice President and General Manager of Udemy Business, about how organizations can combat low employee engagement by getting creative about learning and culture whether the workforce is in person or remote.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why Ragsdale is most worried about the great disengagement [4:28]
- The killer of innovation in today’s workplace [7:50]
- Why supervisors are critical to building culture [9:00]
- Why leaders need to focus on moments that matter [12:53]
- How to recreate organic moments of connection in the hybrid workplace [15:29]
- Why a culture of learning is essential [20:52]
