Just because your employees appear happy at work doesn’t necessarily mean they are engaged. In fact, satisfied employees can still be disengaged, and they differ from those who are engaged in at least one major way. Engaged employees remain emotionally committed to the goals of your organization. Below we’ll cover what constitutes true employee engagement and what you can do to improve it in your firm.
According to recent surveys, a majority of employees in the U.S. are disengaged. It’s an important concept that has to stop getting overlooked, especially when it comes to those working construction careers, because disengagement can cost even the smallest firms millions of dollars annually. There is always room for improvement in employee engagement. Recognizing the problem is only the first step. Then you can move on to increasing overall employee engagement.
Engaged vs. Disengaged Employees
What is unique about engaged employees? Here are the legitimate indicators of an involved workforce, and some signs to watch out for:
- They take initiative, rather than doing the bare minimum job responsibilities.
- They use discretionary effort. A good example is an employee that works overtime as needed without being asked.
- They advocate for your company. People that recommend your construction jobs to their friends, family, etc. are engaged employees.
- They interact with managers on a regular basis. A common red flag of a disengaged employee is somebody who avoids communicating with management.
- They motivate others around them to achieve their goals. Beware of employees who frequently complain.
- They concentrate on accomplishing their assigned tasks. Disengaged workers lose focus and habitually struggle to complete their work.
- They have higher standards of work quality. Be on the lookout for employees with a “good enough” mindset.
- They love what they do. A disengaged workforce is full of employees who are always looking for other jobs.
- They are accountable and responsible. You definitely want to retain any employees who own up to their mistakes and want to learn from them. Employees who make excuses are not attached to the goals of your organization and should be treated with caution.
- They collaborate with coworkers. Disengaged employees strive to avoid team participation.
Increasing Employee Engagement
As construction recruiters, we’re here to help you achieve an engaged workforce by promoting a successful onboarding process and by only delivering candidates who are the right fit for your corporate culture. Then you can focus on maintaining and improving it in the future. Most of the issues concerning employee disengagement can be resolved by providing meaningful feedback on a regular basis, offering company perks to let employees know they are appreciated, and ensuring that they are sufficiently challenged.
How can we help you?
Searching for an opportunity in the construction industry? Contact The Birmingham Group’s team of seasoned commercial construction recruiters today to discuss your career path or browse our open positions.
Are you a hiring authority needed construction talent? Submit a search request today.
–
