When employees start to make mistakes more frequently or turn in assignments later than they normally would, these are common signs that workers are disengaged. Workers sometimes struggle to find the motivation to do their best at their jobs, which calls for incentive software to get them back on track. Employers around the world face an uphill battle in galvanizing their workforce as only 13 percent of global workers were engaged between 2011 to 2012, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report. This is a 2 percent increase from 27 percent in 2009 to 2010.
In the survey of 180 million workers from 142 countries, 63 percent of respondents (900 million) indicated that they are not engaged or lack motivation and effort to fulfill organizational goals. About 340 million workers, or 24 percent, said they were actively disengaged, meaning they are not only unproductive at work but also capable of spreading negativity to other employees.
Compared to global figures, the U.S. had better levels of engagement with 29 percent of respondents saying they were engaged and 54 percent said they were not engaged.
“Regardless of region or industry, businesses seeking to adapt to rapidly changing global economic conditions must learn how to maintain high-productivity workplaces and grow their customer bases in widely varying social, cultural, and economic environments,” Gallup said. “Systems for reliably measuring and improving employee engagement across industries and regions worldwide are vital to that goal.”
To help bridge this productivity gap, employers can use incentive management software to not only measure engagement but incorporate this information to boost workplace productivity.
Building positive workplaces for greater productivity
For firms struggling to motivate their workers, engagement can be improved through energizing employees, according to Inc Magazine.
Establishing a communication channel that works both ways, benefiting employers and workers, can help establish trust. Having a reliable network of information allows employees to have a sense of a secure, positive workplace environment that encourages growth. Another way to energize employees is to give them tasks associated with more responsibility to let them know that they are important in achieving the organization’s goals.
Cultivating a community within the workplace can also connect employees to their company and the people they work with. Having a business community can help workers feel like they are truly part of the company and have a relationship with their co-workers.
