Three Types of Employes .. Which Catagory are you in?
November 30, 2008
Three Types of Employees… Which category do you fall into?
The Gallup Group conducts a survey quarterly to find out the level of employee engagement. What’s interesting is the results have not changed since early 2001.The listed three catagories of employees Engaged, Disengaged and Actively Disengaged. 26% of employees responded they were engaged. Engaged employees work with passion and feel a profound connection to their work. The drive innovation and move the organization forward. About 56% of responding employees say thy are disengaged. Disengaged employees have “checked out.” They’re sleepwalking through their workday, putting in time – but not energy or passion in their work. About 15% of employees are actively disengaged .Being actively disengaged means you aren’t just unhappy at work; you’re busy acting out your unhappiness. Every day these employees undermine what their co-workers accomplish.
So what does that mean for you? Well look around at your co-workers and don't forget to include your boss.Chances are excellent over half are checked out. Think about this in a work group of 15, eight are disengaged. Two out of 15 are actively disengaged. It means work is not a rewarding place. That over half of all your co-workers are going to work every day disenchanted and waiting for something better to come along. And this situation started long before the lastest rounds of reorganizations and layoffs.
This hit home when I started working with Ellen G. I’ve been working with Ellen (name changed to protect her) for about three months. Ellen works with 8 actively disengaged employees. She’s one of the 26% that are still engaged.But can you imagine working with a whole team whose goal is to undermine her work and that of other employees!She came to me just after a new boss was appointed over her group.Shortly afterwards, her co-workers told her she needed to stop supporting her boss. When Ellen refused, the ring leader said “if you don’t we’ll make your life as miserable as his”. With or without you he will leave just like the others.” The only question is will you be happy or miserable while we get rid of him?”
Ellen has a real challenge on her hands.On one hand she likes her boss and he likes her.He’s told her her work is really good and he wants to support her in her career endeavors. On the other hand she is angry and resentful because she can’t trust her co-workers and is constantly having to do unnecessary work arounds.She would be challenged almost daily by one of her co-workers and when she was she would freeze.She couldn’t think of something to do and how to handle the sometimes hateful and destructive comments. What used to be a place where she worked passionately has now turned into a place where she must play the worst kind of politics. You know that game of going along to get along. And constantly hoping someone would do something so that you’re not the object of an overzealous boss or employee.
Ellen and I have been putting the Four Secrets of Successful People to action.The first steps have been getting to know her gifts and talents and teaching her how to reduce the effects of her anger and resentment at work.Her hard work is paying off. Ellen recently celebrated that she came home and left the work attitude at work and be completing with her children. We have a clear plan of action for her and we’re building a support system for her so she doesn’t freeze when she’s attached at work.
Working with Ellen got me thinking how many others like her are out there and if they're not working with a coach, then what are they doing to stay engaged. I’d love to hear from you regardless of which catagory you're in. So tell me how do you sustain success when your bored, frustrated, drained or resentful?
