Breaking Down Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report
Each year Gallup releases the much-anticipated State of the Global Workplace Report which encompasses surveying the adult population (employees) in more than 160 countries. In this year’s report low engagement costs in the global economy are estimated to be $8.8 trillion equating to 9% of Global GDP.
Myself and several of my colleagues at The Quality Coach® recently attended Gallup’s release and review of the 2023 report. In addition, we have studied and compared the information particularly as it relates to our client base. The following is a major take away worth noting:
Workplace Culture and Leadership Development matters now more than ever.
Nearly six in ten employees are Quietly Quitting, but they are likely to become engaged with a few changes to their workplace.
What is Quiet Quitting? Basically, Quiet Quitters are those who put in the minimum amount of effort to keep their jobs and are considered NOT ENGAGED. A vast difference to those who are ENGAGED and find their work meaningful, feel proud and take ownership. Quiet Quitters on the other hand are more likely to be stressed and burnt out than engaged workers because they feel lost and disconnected from their workplace.
Often the Quiet Quitters grouping, aka NOT ENGAGED, provide the greatest opportunity for growth and change in your organization. Because of this, time spent on the following list is time well spent. Is your organization practicing the following?
Employees receive ongoing conversations from their manager/leaders.
Ask employees for feedback on a regular basis providing different ways to receive the information.
Develop a culture of appreciation and recognition where it’s due.
Create development opportunities and let individual strengths shine.
Provide dignity and respect as well as a zero tolerance when lacking.
Development of managers with leadership tools and resources.
It is very possible to shift those who are NOT ENGAGED to those who become ENGAGED productive team members. Time spent working on these areas equates to increased employee retention. Even though the list seems simple it takes focus and planning from the organization and an intentional drive from leadership to implement.
I recently overhead this statement from a valued and respected client:
“If there is one take away we have learned post pandemic, it is that we need our employees way more than they need us. At first it was a hard reality but one we had to understand to make the needed culture changes.”
Kudos to this organization’s leaders for listening to their employees and creating a huge management/leadership mindset shift. They have worked hard to increase their employee engagement by implementing systemic changes and are reaping the benefits in higher productivity and retention.
The following excerpt from Gallup’s report is an excellent reflection of what we at The Quality Coach® continue to hear from workers across all industries; engagement and culture tops the list of employee needs.
Working on an overall increased engagement level for your workforce will be greatly appreciated by those who are already engaged (those who find their daily work rewarding) in helping build a stronger culture. In addition, leaders should clearly not ignore the actively disengaged, as they directly harm the organization, undercutting its goals and opposing leaders. Gallup’s big takeaway was the focus on the current high percentage of Quiet Quitters. These employees are your organization’s low-hanging fruit for productivity gains. Remember, they are likely to become engaged with a few genuine changes. These folks, making up the largest grouping of the current workforce, are truly ready to be inspired and motivated.
With the right resources and development managers can introduce effective leadership strategies and tools to help employees achieve a higher level of engagement, productivity, and retention.