Employee disengagement is a serious problem for employers, sometimes resulting in more errors, less motivation, and general discontent. While most business owners don’t set out to have such a problem, it can happen for several reasons. Often, the only way to address employee disengagement is by getting to its root cause. You might discover that some of the following factors play a part.

Poor Management

Before you start looking for superficial ideas for boosting employee engagement, take a moment to consider whether your management team is to blame for the lack of engagement in the first place. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how many team-building activities you do and how many incentives you offer, you can’t address the issue without finding out where it stems.

Many employees are not engaged with their work because they don’t believe their managers are doing a good job. In fact, studies show that less than one-third of Americans are engaged in their jobs, and managers are cited as one of the leading reasons.  

They don’t believe their managers are active communicators, nor do they feel that their managers are open to building genuine relationships with their employees. Rectify these issues, and you might also solve your employee disengagement problem.

No Career Development Options

Many people enter their chosen careers to learn new skills, obtain more training, and work their way up the ranks into better-paying and more respected positions. Sometimes, managers even offer such possibilities when they guide them through the onboarding process into employment.

However, those same employees offered advancement opportunities might soon become disengaged when they don’t get what they were promised. If they aren’t provided with any training, further education, or chances to move ahead within a business, they might start losing interest in their job and even seek advancement opportunities elsewhere.

They’re Stressed

According to the American Institute of Stress, workplaces are one of the most significant causes of stress. Job stress has even been connected to increased heart attack rates. When employees work in environments that cause a great deal of stress related to their job, the people they have to work with, or their working hours, they might start to disengage.

While stress is a normal part of the human condition, employers play an essential part in keeping those stress levels to a minimum. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat employee stress levels, such as hiring more staff to share the load, providing mental health services, offering remote work opportunities, and educating employees on ways to take care of their physical and psychological health.

Poor Remuneration

Many employees begin a new job with a starting salary, often believing they’ll enjoy numerous pay rises before long and desirable perks like health insurance and retirement accounts. However, not every employee gets what they think they’re entitled to.

Sometimes, workers go above and beyond for their companies by working overtime and putting in a significant amount of effort, only to be paid much less than they believe they’re worth. When there seems to be no reward for working hard, they might return to doing the bare minimum and receive the same amount of money.

When your business is experiencing high levels of employee disengagement, question whether poor remuneration could be to blame. Compare your positions and salaries to average market rates, review your compensation packages, and see whether you’re doing enough to retain your talent.  

A Lack of Change

The business world is changing at a rapid rate, with employers being required to adjust their best practices to suit customer needs and employee demands. However, some businesses refuse to change.

For example, they might not allow their team to work remotely, fearing they won’t achieve as much at home, or they might refuse to use new software because it’s an expense they don’t think will pay off. When employees are experts in their field and know what works and what doesn’t, it can be frustrating when their ideas and requests are turned down, even when it could improve their productivity and engagement levels.

When employees feel like nothing will ever change, either in how the business is run or its morals, they might start to disengage and potentially seek out job opportunities elsewhere.

Many businesses encounter employee disengagement and aren’t sure why. While many things can cause employees to be less engaged in their work, the reasons above are among the most common. Once you’re aware of them, you might be in a better position to avoid disengagement in the future.