Why is workforce engagement only 20%? And what can we do about it?

We know for many people reading this blog, that this will not be news. But in case, if there was any doubt, there has never been a better time for coaching.

We know that coaching can achieve a 73% improvement in engagement and 36% uplift in performance.

Yet, Gallup’s recent report on the State of the Australian and New Zealand Workplace says engagement in our workplaces is only 20%, with 67% of employees in Australia and New Zealand ‘quiet quitting’ and 13% actively disengaged.

In response, we kick off our final Coaching Café season of the year. Particularly with a focus on building engagement using coaching skills. We know that managers coaching their people can make a sustained difference. So we break down what’s happening and what we can do about it.

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What is ‘quiet quitting’?

The report says: most employees in Australia (67%) are ‘quiet quitting’.

Furthermore, ‘These employees ‘are filling a seat and watching the clock. They put in minimum effort required. And they are psychologically disconnected from their employer. Although they are minimally productive, they are more likely to be stressed and burnt out than engaged workers. This is because they feel lost and disconnected from their workplace’.

Why are people ‘quiet quitting’?

There are many reasons why we have low engagement in the workforce. Yes, the impact of COVID is still being felt. But these statistics are not new. In fact, engagement has been low for over 10 years. Furthermore, as you can see from the graphic, the reasons why people are disengaged, also give clues as to how to turn this around. For example, lack of learning and repetitive work. A manager can think about how to expand the learning opportunities for a team member.

How do we start to turn around these engagement scores?

The good news is that 70% of team engagement is attributed to the manager. And the workers in the ‘quiet quitting’ group are winnable. If they have a manager who knows how to motivate them.

So we need to start with good coaching questions. And a focus on strengths. We know that a focus on strengths-based conversations has an impact on engagement. This is not just where the team member has skills. Rather what energises them about the work to enable them to re-engage.

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