Employee Dissatisfaction at All Time High

A recent report by Gallup showed that people of all ages and income levels are increasingly unhappy with their supervisors, apathetic about their organizations, and detached from what they do. Gallup estimates this “disengagement” costs business about $300 billion per year in lost productivity. In a separate report from Right Management, a human resource consulting group, 84 percent of current employees plan to look for a new job in 2012. The results compare to a 2009 finding in which 60 percent of employees stated they intended to seek new employment.

While some employers believe they have the upper hand in this poor economy, and that worker threats of leaving or lowering their productivity are exaggerated, dissatisfied employees can add substantial costs to running a business. Dissatisfaction leads to higher rates of absenteeism, injury, workplace conflict, unionization, litigation, and lower creativity and initiative. Most employees know how to do just enough to avoid discipline or termination, which is often far less than their full capability.

Based on a number of studies, experts suggest that the single most important contribution managers can make to improve productivity is to remove obstacles that prevent employees from making a meaningful contribution. This includes providing the direction, resources, assistance, and feedback that permit employees to get their job done, followed by appropriate recognition for doing so. These steps are far less costly than increased wages and benefits and have a much larger impact on productivity.

Schaffer Law provides a full range of employee relations services, including HR assessments, employee opinion surveys, and supervisory training to help you determine the effectiveness of your policies, uncover employee concerns, and improve supervision; all with the goal of increasing productivity and lowering workplace dissatisfaction.