We’ve all worked with someone who has literally “checked out.” Maybe it was a coworker, manager or even YOU. The problem is that disengagement is like a virus that spreads quickly. It has immediate negative repercussions on productivity, communication, collaboration, innovation, morale, customer service, you name it!  Not surprising, it’s also costing your company BIG TIME. The Gallup organization estimates that over $300 billion a year is lost due to disengaged workers. Think of all the POSITIVE CHANGES to be made with that money!

How engaged are you at work? Take a few minutes to complete our employee engagement questionnaire designed to measure your levels. Don’t forget to read our suggestions for addressing disengagement.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE: Am I Engaged or Disengaged?
(Y = Yes, N= No, DK = Don’t Know)

1. My manager cares about me as a person
2. My coworkers take into account my opinion
3. I have clear expectations of what I should be doing at work
4. I understand the purpose of my role and how it supports the organization
5. I readily volunteer to take on new challenges or projects
6. My manager and I openly communicate about issues of importance to me
7. My manager is interested in my personal development and career goals
8. I have the opportunity to use my strengths in the work I do on a daily basis
9. My manager doesn’t play favorites
10. I have the support and resources I need to do my job to the best of my ability
11. Everyone pulls their own weight on my team
12. Performance issues are dealt with quickly and effectively
13. Building relationships and collaborating with others in the company is encouraged
14. I know what I am being evaluated on
15. I receive the training, coaching and mentoring needed to do my job successfully
16. I have a clear understanding of what success in my role looks like
17. I feel a sense of pride in my organization and the products/services we provide
18. I talk positively about my job to friends and family
19. I have a sense of ownership and accountability over my work
20. I steer clear of gossip and negative talk of others on my team

SCORES:
15 – 20 Yes ~ You are Very Engaged

10 – 14 Yes ~ You are Mostly Engaged

1 – 9 Yes ~ You are Not Very Engaged

How did you do with this employee engagement questionnaire? I suspect that over half of you might currently be experiencing some level of disengagement in your work. Here are some suggestions that might help you…

Top 5 Suggestions for Addressing Your Own Disengagement

1. Ask for a challenging project to work on that you would find interesting. Preferably something that would stretch your abilities and it is not directly tied to your role.
2. Reassess your workload and how much time is required to each task. Are you completely overburdened due to being short staffed? Consider what 1-2 low priority items you could talk to your manager about delegating or letting go of.
3. Have a heart-to-heart discussion with your manager on where you are right now and more importantly what you need that you are currently not getting from your work. Research has shown that unmet and unspoken expectations are large contributors to employee disengagement. However, once those expectations are spoken ~ even if they cannot be met, engagement levels go up.
4. Ask for more accountability in your work. Are their decisions you think you could make that are currently being made by your manager? Talk with your manager about what this might look like if some decisions were delegated to you?
5. Revisit your career path. When is the last time you considered doing something new? Are there opportunities to job shadow in your organization? Discuss these options with your manager.