Here’s an unwelcome benchmark for employers: 63% of U.S. employees aren’t engaged in their jobs.
That’s the message in HR consulting giant Towers Watson’s recent Global Workforce study.
The study defines engagement as “as employees’ willingness to expend discretionary effort on their job.”
That willingness is based on two factors, TW said: Enablement — having the tools, resources and support for employees to do their job effectively — and energy, delivered through a work environment that actively supports employees’ well-being.
And apparently, today’s workplace falls short on both those counts.
One in four have totally checked out
Overall, the study showed that only 37% of U.S. workers are highly engaged in a sustainable way, meaning they scored high on both elements of sustainable engagement.
Just over one-quarter (27%) are classified as unsupported, meaning they display traditional engagement, but lack the enablement and/or energy required for sustainable engagement.
Thirteen percent are detached, meaning they feel enabled and/or energized but are not willing to go the extra mile.
And almost one-quarter (23%) are completely disengaged.
The reasons the employees fall into those categories? Here’s Towers Watson’s take:
- For the unsupported, the most significant factors relate to how their supervisors support them on the job, their levels of stress and the severity of their workloads.
- For the detached, company leadership stood as the focal point. Detached workers lack an emotional connection to the organization, stemming from feelings that they do not work for a company with strong values, clear vision, and a leadership team that takes employees’ interests and needs into account.
A look at some other results of the study:
- Fewer than half (47%) agree there are no substantial obstacles to getting their job done well.
- Slightly more than half (53%) don’t feel their organization makes it possible for them to have a healthy balance between work and personal life.
- Just under a third (30%) say they’re bothered by excess pressure on the job.
- Just under half (47%) believe their supervisors don’t have enough time to handle the people aspects of their role, and
- Under one-third (32%) say their organization does a good job of providing opportunities for advancement.