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fwd: key findings from Gallup's latest report ➡️

fwd: key findings from Gallup's latest report ➡️

Mariam Mushtaq
June 17, 2024

Hello everyone! 👋

Mariam Mushtaq here from HR Brain Pickings, bringing you this week's first edition, bright and early this Monday! 😎

In This Edition:

Gallup's latest report on Employee Engagement was just released last week. What is the global employee engagement rate? Has it gotten better or worse? Have the stats on mental health improved? What are some companies doing better than others?

No worries—I have summarized the key points for you, specifically what HR leaders need to know to stay updated and address these issues proactively.

These are statements from respondents as part of the Gallup report. Which one do you think is the most actively disengaged employee? 🤔

Out of the 3 employees below, 1 is actively disengaged, 1 is not engaged at work, 1 is an engaged employee.

🌐 The Voice of the World’s Employees

Gallup's "State of the Global Workplace 2024" report provides a comprehensive look at the current state of employee engagement and mental health worldwide. The findings are a mixed bag of progress and persistent challenges. Let's dive into some of the key insights.

Global Employee Engagement:

Engagement Rates: Only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work. This number is quite stagnant, showing very little improvement from previous years. 😕
Regional Differences: The highest engagement is seen in the United States and Canada at 33%, while Europe lags behind at the bottom of the list (13%). 📉

The cost of low employee engagement is still staggering. 🤑 Gallup estimates that it costs the global economy a whopping $8.9 trillion (up from 8.8 trillion), or 9% of global GDP.

This loss is associated with overtime decrease in employee productivity, higher turnover rates, and lower overall employee wellbeing. ⬇️

Mental Health Crisis:

❝

And further still, people’s mental wellbeing has been worsening. In the last 10 years, the number of people expressing stress, sadness, anxiety, anger or worry has been on the rise, reaching its highest levels since the Gallup surveys began.

CEO of Gallup

🧘 Stress Levels: A significant 41% of employees report experiencing "a lot of stress" the previous day. This stress is notably higher in poorly managed workplaces.
🙍 Daily Loneliness: About 20% of employees feel lonely daily, with fully remote workers experiencing the highest levels of loneliness at 25%.

When I read this I wondered - is fully remote work really the answer? Well, work interactions do not necessarily need to be in person to provide a benefit. A Gallup study found that all forms of social time (phone, video, texting, etc.) are associated with a better mood.

Regional Differences: When it comes to stress, the Middle East and North Africa regions reported the highest (52%), closely followed by US and Canada (49%). 🌍️

Economic and Policy Impact:

Labor Rights = Wellbeing: Countries with robust labor rights, such as fair wages and safe work conditions, see a much better overall life evaluations among employees. These laws are also effective in reducing stress and improving emotional health. 🧠

Managerial Role:

Influence on Engagement: Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. Engaged managers lead to engaged employees, highlighting the critical role of effective management.
Negative Experiences: Interestingly, managers often have more negative daily experiences than their subordinates, facing higher stress levels and a greater likelihood of job hunting.

How are some organizations getting it right? 🏢

It is one thing to be committed, and another to be intentional. According to this Gallup report, Becoming a highly engaged organization was an intentional effort of leadership over several years. Leaders who build strong and resilient cultures focus on a few things that set them apart from other organizations:

✔️ The best organizations train their managers into effective coaches that encourages their teams.

✔️ They make engagement a business strategy and integrate engagement into every stage of their employee and manager life cycle.

✔️ Engaged organizations emphasize wellbeing at work and in life while making their support for employee wellbeing visible and consistent.

For leaders looking to make a difference, the message is clear: prioritize your people, invest in effective management, and create environments where employees can thrive 💫

_source

🧮 Bonus Resource: Disengagement Calculator

Ever thought about the cost of inaction? By not investing in employee engagement initiatives, your organization is already losing money. 💰️ Presenting how much your company might be losing on an average due to employee disengagement, can be a powerful argument for employee engagement.

_{While the figures we discuss here are based on Gallup's research and should be seen as ballpark estimates, they highlight the financial weight of disengagement}

Missed the last newsletter? Catch up here.

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