May 4, 2023
Engaged employees are essential in building successful organisations. They carry out a brand’s mission and have great influence over customers. However, sometimes workers can experience a disconnection from their colleagues and workplace. According to a recent study, about 65% of employees say they feel less connected to their colleagues and 50% feel disconnected in their workplace. No matter if employees are working in-office, from home or on a hybrid model, they can experience this sense of disconnection. Read on to learn more about the dangers of a disconnected team and how it could impact the success of an organisation.
Employees can feel disconnected for a variety of reasons. For instance, if an organisation doesn’t provide enough opportunities for growth, employees may feel stuck and seek job opportunities elsewhere. This is because staff members typically want to grow with the companies for which they work. What’s more, a lack of educational and professional development opportunities can cause a skills shortage among workers. This could put an organisation a step behind its competitors.
A positive and healthy company culture reflects a brand’s personality and often attracts top talent. It also cultivates a strong work environment and productive workers. However, in some cases, there can be different company cultures among various departments. For instance, the sales department may experience a more relaxed culture than the marketing team. As such, employees may feel isolated and disconnected if they do not fit with the perceived cultures. This type of dysfunctional environment could lead to widespread disconnection across all staff members. This may cause staff burnout, absences and more.
Micromanaging leaders can cause employees to feel distrusted, unimportant and powerless in the workplace. This can be extremely toxic to an organisation, as it can cause workers reduced productivity, heightened stress and increased turnover. Employees may even leave their current positions for ones where they feel valued and trusted.
It’s critical for businesses to address team disconnection as soon as possible. For example, providing employees with team building activities can help create a cohesive and thriving team. This is because team building events enable employees to collaborate, problem-solve and have fun together, which can enhance relationships in the workplace.
Offering frequent praise and showing appreciation to workers can also help create a connected workplace. This can be achieved through raises and bonuses, catered lunches, thank you notes and more.
To learn more about the dangers of a disconnected team, please see the accompanying resource.
