As a manager, are you excited to get to work each day?
Do you believe that what you are doing makes a difference?
According to a new article in CEO.com, “Why You Hate Work,” many people in the United States, from every level within a company — right up to the CEO — are just not excited to get out of bed and go to work each morning.
According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 70% of employees in America do not feel engaged at work.
The Energy Project did a similar survey of primarily white collar workers — more than 12,000 employees across a broad range industries. This study showed that respondents felt they didn’t have a fulfilling workplace — 70%, for example, said there had no regular time for creative or strategic thinking.
Other statistics the survey found regarding finding things missing in their “9 to 5” …
- 50% answered that they had no connection to their company’s mission.
- 48% said there were no opportunities for learning and growth at their job.
It’s hard to imagine how this country can stay competitive in commerce with that type of scenario.
On a more personal level, the toll this takes on people must be very heavy, in terms of lack of energy and stress. What is the cost to workers when they shut down because they hate their jobs? What is the cost to one’s life to simply “go through the motions” every day, year after year?
The Energy Project survey discovered that employees have four core needs, and when they are met, people are much more productive, engaged, and satisfied with their work.
The four core needs that all employees have are:
- Physical: people require regular opportunities to renew and recharge at work. Workplace gyms, yoga, and more ergonomic workplace environments all are conducive to this need.
- Emotional: people want and need to feel valued, heard, and appreciated for their input and contributions. Team meetings where all are encouraged to participate and let their voices be heard can go a long way to meeting this need. Regular incentive and reward programs can also create more “buy in” and feeling connected.
- Mental: people want to focus on their most important tasks and have some control over when and where they do their work. Finding a good work-life balance is key to more and more workers.
- Spiritual: If people they feel connected to a higher purpose at work, it can help meet this core need.
Employees who have a comfortable work environment, feel valued, have autonomy to complete their work, and feel connected to a higher purpose, perform better.
What do you think?