Recent research studies indicate that a growing number of employees are disengaged. According to a survey conducted by Gallup, an astonishing 63 percent of workers in the United States felt unengaged with their work, and another 24 percent consider themselves to be “actively disengaged.” Lack of employee engagement yields a spectrum of problems in the workplace, from decreased productivity to interpersonal conflict to high turnover rates. This can translate to substantial money lost—to the tune of $450-$550 billion annually, according to Gallup’s estimate.
Disengaged employees report a number of reasons for their lack of enthusiasm in the workplace. Many identify management as a driver of disengagement. A top complaint among workers surveyed, in fact, is managerial failure to provide direction and constructive feedback, as well as lack of emphasis on cooperation and teamwork, discouragement of personal expression, and refusal to grant workers autonomy.
It is clear that the key to keeping workers engaged lies in providing them with both the tools they require to perform at their maximum potential and affirmation of their value to the organization as a whole. In concrete terms this can take myriad shapes: clearly defining goals, maintaining transparency, granting creative freedom, facilitating teamwork, and providing consistent and constructive feedback (along with well-earned praise). Moreover, by fostering an environment grounded in authentic human relationships, managers can build and sustain an inviting workplace culture that employees are enthusiastic about participating in—and this can lead to increased productivity, profit, retention, and customer satisfaction.
While transforming a disengaged workplace into an engaged one might seem like a difficult task, it doesn’t have to be. All of the changes outlined above can be achieved by adopting a project management solution designed to streamline communication and collaboration between individual employees, teams, and divisions of an organization. Online project management software such as ConductorLIVE eliminates the most tedious workplace tasks—like sifting through endless emails and attending unnecessary meetings—by providing a virtual platform for intercommunication. Employees and managers can exchange ideas, share files, track progress, and provide feedback with ease, all through a high-powered yet easy-to-use platform that can be accessed anywhere, any time.
Moreover, an online project management solution can dramatically increase productivity and profitability, as well as helping to ensure that your best employees stay with your business rather than setting up shop with the competition. Project management software drastically reduces the amount of time and money wasted sorting through extraneous emails, which cost businesses a staggering $650 billion each and every year. Online collaboration tools can also help you to manage remote team members, collapsing the distance between you and some of your most valuable employees by streamlining your communications and making them feel as though they are part of the team—no matter how far away they are located. A solution like ConductorLIVE can also reduce worker defection—another costly aspect of running a business—by improving your employees’ job satisfaction and level of engagement.
Online project management solutions like ConductorLIVE empower you to streamline communication and collaboration to increase employee engagement. If you’re looking to re-energize your employees without sacrificing time, money, or productivity, consider a powerful yet user-friendly project management solution that leverages the power of the web for your diverse collaboration needs.
