If you were to take a look at how office culture is portrayed in popular culture, you would think that most of the workforce is massively disengaged.
From TV series like The Office to movies such as Office Space, the protagonists are often portrayed as disconnected workers attempting to escape the drudgery of the nine-to-five.
This attitude towards work-life is alarmingly common. One Gallup poll found that only 13 percent of employees are engaged at work, leaving a staggering 87 percent of workers who find themselves either not engaged in their work, or actively disengaged.
Such a high level of disengagement causes a massive loss for businesses. In the United States alone, disengaged workers cost businesses roughly half a trillion dollars a year, equivalent to the size of the entire global beer industry.
Keeping employees satisfied is not simply good for morale, it can also benefit a business’ bottom line.
According to consulting firm Towers Perrin, companies with high levels of employee engagement saw a 19.2 percent increase in operating income, while companies with low levels saw a 32.7 percent decline over the same period.
Investing in your employees, allowing them the ability to prosper at your company and to feel included and invested in its success, will pay off massive dividends in the end.