The Cost of Unhappy & Disillusioned Workers

Happiness at work matters, but not just because it creates a stable corporate culture. For the most part, this positive attitude makes demanding work less stressful, contributing to better profitability. It is the ultimate productivity enhancer, as happy people are more optimistic, creative, and healthy, and tend to make better decisions.

The sad thing, however, is that most Americans are unhappy at work. According to a research from Gallup, only 13 percent of employees feel engaged by their jobs. The vast majority, about 63 percent, are unhappy and not engaged. These employees put little energy into their tasks, with some just working for the weekend ride. The remaining 24 percent are actively disengaged, or pretty much hate their jobs.

Not Just Unhappy

The problem with disengaged employees is that they are not just unhappy at work. The worst part is, they are also busy acting out their unhappiness and negative attitude. Most days, these employees undermine what their happy colleagues accomplish. A report from Good.Co notes that disengaged workers cost the country between $450 and $550 billion each year in lost productivity.

The High Cost

When your business is full of dissatisfied and disengaged employees, the cost can be really high. This can lead to resignation, with major repercussions on productivity and sales. Those who choose to stay, on the other hand, will just continue working with mediocre performance. The consequences are also alarming, as workers may not meet quotas and deliver only poor output quality.

Create the Right Atmosphere

The negative effects are interconnected. As disengaged and unhappy workers lack creativity and innovation, productivity suffers, with high rates of product defects and rejects. It is important to create team-centered atmosphere to motivate and retain top employees. Workers need to feel connected to other team members to increase collaborative efforts, boost enthusiasm, and reduce conflicts.

There are different ways to engage employees and win their hearts and minds. Brad Montgomery believes that workers need the right motivation to be inspired and happy. As a reliable keynote speaker, he can inspire the whole team and help you develop close bonds with your staff members. Contact him today and find out how he can inspire your workers through motivational speaking.