Be part of the solution, not the problem

Companies have made significant cuts, which almost certainly weigh heavily on those employees who remain. To get the job done, companies rely on a core group of employees whom they trust and believe in. How can you keep these people motivated and engaged to perform – and for how long?

A recent survey by Gallup reveals a sobering but unsurprising finding that more than two-thirds of employees aren’t engaged in their jobs. The effects of a disengaged workforce can be felt across your entire business and can quickly deteriorate your bottom line.

Each employee, regardless of their rank in the hierarchy, receives so many messages each day that influence their mood, attitude, and work. These are messages about how the company’s doing, stock market performance, the Euro debt crisis, the latest earnings reports, buyer behavior and retail spending, and of course job losses and gains.

These headlines come from the media- family, friends, social networks, coworkers, bosses, and the company in general. (And don’t forget that, especially at crucial times, the absence of communication can be a message.) The content, tone, and frequency of these communications can have a tremendous impact on the level of engagement among your employees.

It is impossible to maintain immunity from current events, and the highs and lows can take their toll on even the most focused of your employees. At the end of the day, the one reality people relate to is their relationship with their boss. As a manager, you can have the greatest impact to help your employees rise above the negativity by coaching them, keeping them motivated, and focusing them on task.