Creating awareness about employee engagement within your organization is imperative. Low morale can often be a silent culprit until the side effects of late arrivals and poor performance become evident as productivity declines, absenteeism increases, and turnover snowballs. 

U.S. employee engagement dropped by two percentage points in early 2022, the first time in over a decade. (Gallup, 2022) A highly engaged employee can become unrecognizable or overlooked during these challenging times, especially with organizations battling supply chain issues, increases in costs, and the turbulence of The Great Resignation. 

Engagement quickly suffers when employees stop caring, and when employees stop caring, companies suffer. If you have noticed a decline in caring within your workplace, more than likely your employees are already aware.  

What does it look like when there is a void of care? 

• The temptation to check to see if the grass is greener at another organization becomes more prevalent and a significant distraction. 
• Lethargy during meetings and an increased sense of going through the motions or doing the bare minimum rises. 
• An emergence of team members expressing, ‘I can’t do it,’ and other objections to the work become default responses. 
• Work is completed and deadlines are met but a chaotic and toxic environment requires a high price for the mental health and wellness of team members. 

If these statements confirm suspicions that there is a growing void of care in your organization, it is time to initiate dialogue and assess the workplace culture. Understanding the pulse of employee sentiment, at regular intervals, allows organizations to build strategies to address gaps, leverage strengths and maximize opportunities. 

Sharing that you care about their vested interest in success, alignment with company values, and partnership boosts reciprocity of this commitment. Affirming employees’ presence and value is the foundation of positive reinforcement, which improves performance. If you only motivate employees by their metrics, you may overlook the opportunity to empathize with the hard worker struggling to rise to the occasion of change. (Forbes, 2022). Providing mentorship and increasing face time with those who care but are struggling can help to get them back on track.  

Raising the care level of your employees begins with The Power of We training where we introduce our CARE model for transforming workplace cultures through diversity, equity, and inclusion. Once the journey towards building a culture of care begins, it must be reaffirmed with action steps and a safe space for self-evaluation and growth: 

• Reacquaint yourself with team members. Schedule more one-on-one conversations that allow you to offer support and encouragement, while clarifying their role and its importance. 

• Remind each person why they bring value to the team. What talents and skill sets are unique to them that have a bearing on your success? Reengage them with their stellar moments to increase motivation. 

• Review and Reward work performance. Are goals being met, and in what ways will you support them in performing better?  Implement rewards and perks, including verbal praise and statements of appreciation for their contributions. 

Clarity coupled with connectivity through courageously caring conversations reignites employee motivation and commitment within your organization.