How to increase workplace engagement and contentment

It’s been a rocky year for employment with a raft of redundancies and workplace restructures.  Australians are certainly feeling the pinch financially and many surveys indicate a high level of employee disengagement and hesitancy to seek new jobs.  But how can you increase workplace engagement and contentment.

Interesting research findings from the Gartner HR Survey  released early this year. The findings pointed to Australian employees seeking greater career and organisational stability in 2024 than previously. 

Gartner found ‘change fatigued’ employees in Australia are looking to avoid risky career moves and limit their exposure to workplace disruptions as they enter a new year of work.

According to the survey, while engagement levels remained steady in 2023, less than one-quarter (24.3%) of Australian employees consider themselves to be ‘highly’ engaged. Most (73.9%) state they are only ‘somewhat’ engaged.

I totally support Gartner’s focus on addressing Change fatigue.   They reported that ‘A new project, task or process can erode trust, impact wellbeing and contribute to a lost sense of purpose if communication from management is not clear”. 

So what and how can employees and employers/management strengthen engagement?   Is lessening engagement a by-product of other factors?

Following are 7 elements that contribute to workplace engagement malaise along with mindset flips and strategies to get to the other side. Of course there are a host of other elements and inputs, but these are ones that rarely get much oxygen.

1/  The chase for happiness & fulfilment

Let’s unpack the chase for the holy grail of happiness and fulfilment.  Is there a difference between happiness and fulfilment in a job and career?   Are you chasing shiny career objects that are more fairy tale than reality?  Often such a chase creates greater discontent which trickles across everything we do.

Happiness and fulfilment are certainly entwined but often misused and confusing in action and understanding.  Canadian psychologist Dr Jennifer Barbera in Health Central says that:

Happiness are fleeting sensations of joy, contentment and excitement, whereas fulfilment is the process of fully living a valued life and pursuing what matters

Dr Barbera believes that despite humans being programmed to believe that happiness is the most important thing to seek, fulfilment is more sustainable.   And feeling fulfilled also assists to cope with disappointment, sadness, loss and anger.

As I have found in my own research and feedback on career happiness for men and women there are so many different touchpoints of what brings engagement and satisfaction.  Some focus on the dollars,  colleague camaraderie, society impact, education and training.  What I do know is that everyone has a different motivator.

It is also critical for managers and team leaders to get below the surface and understand what motivates each person.  Often the trap is an expectation that everyone is hard wired the same way.  They are not.  And often people will stay in a role, despite certain elements being less than desirable because of a greater good (ie friendships).

2/  Remote working is detrimental to friendships

Job Sage, UK found in their research on How work friendships impact happiness that remote work had a detrimental impact on work friendships.

It was reported that 95% of respondents felt having a work friend made them happier and 76% indicated creativity improved and 74% felt productivity increased.  

The research also found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on workplace friendships with 48% having less friends post the pandemic and  33% feeling lonelier at work than before the pandemic.  

This gives rise to the benefits of being in physical offices.  Further, it was found that of respondents without work friends, women ranked 7% less work friends that men.

I observe Aussie workers across all generations are growing lonelier in general. And this also impacts work engagement with an over-zealous focus on technology and hiding behind a screens and keyboards. 

For the vast majority of office workers, unless there is a physical disability, illness onset, mental health issue or family caring need etc, being in the office is mentally healthier. And by virtue this will give a better grounding to minimise disengagement.

Also the dogged discipline required to work from home effectively and productively is just not in everyone’s capability nor preferences (especially for most younger people).   Shame and pressure can placed on people to admit that they struggle here but thrive with workplace personal interaction. 

3/ Unrealistic expectations

It’s also illogical to think that your workplace and job will be the answer to all your needs and happiness.  And it’s illogical to expect that managers and teams are 100% perfect 100% of the time.

Just as it’s unfair to expect yourself to be 100% perfect and doing the work you love 100% of the time. People are people and expecting perfectionism in others and yourself is a fairy tale without a happy ending.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a huge line between days and times of crap vs a horrid and abusive workplace.  I truly think many expect the world and workplaces to be an amazing entitlement that is just often unrealistic.

One thing I observe often is that many who are disengaged can be very ‘self’ vs ‘other’ focussed.

Building a wider lens of people and community with curiosity and intent to help really shifts the inner gnaw of disengagement. 

Often disengagement within a job can be lessened with an intent to be truly curious and interested in others and their world.

4/ Losing the perfectionism poppycock

Job engagement can be strengthened by losing the pesky grip of perfectionism.  Perfectionism is so polarising, keeping people fearful and often in a blaming mindset.

The key is to take a mindset flip which strengthens self esteem.  This and a host of other tips can be read in my free eBook Navigating the Road out of Self Doubt

5/ Nothing special & comparisonitis

One of the big issues for growing disengagement is the prevalence of social media comparisonitis.  People can lose their mojo when they see all the social media posts of how well people are shining, achievement bragging and networking etc. 

Here is a reality statement – it may be a façade and a ‘fake it until you make it scenario.  All that glitters isn’t gold and comparing yourself to others is as useless as mammary glands on male cattle   (you get the analogy here).

But disengagement can also start with not feeling you are anything special or have anything unique to offer the world.

As I wrote recently in an article for Mumbrella  Career value, fingerprints and McCain chip moments, it’s essential to embrace the reality statement that :

‘No one does exactly what you do in the exact same way you do it’

And for those who are feeling meh, lacking motivation and unappreciated I recommended taking a deep analysis of your Unique Value Mosaic.

This is also a great tool for managers and team leaders to work together with you on also.  It can also help identify the skills and passions they have been dormant.  It is also a great conversation opener on how to get more out of your life and work.

And this is really important, because your value is not just your work and title, but the one box and dice of your life and soul.

6/ The power of compliments

How often do you compliment yourself?  How often do you compliment others?  Do you enjoy receiving compliments?

Genuine compliments are the human and business gift that keeps on giving and buoy motivation, purpose and engagement. Acknowledgement and appreciation of others is the oxygen that keeps workplaces ticking well.

Often disengagement comes from feeling ignored or under-valued. And mark my words it impacts all levels – from the C Suite right down. 

Often people keep silent to how, what and when to give compliments. Read more here

And workplaces which do not encourage and demonstrate a culture of genuine compliments does not thrive. Indeed by virtue it nips away at the desire to contribute, be creative and participate.

7/ It’s more than what you enjoy – it’s the why you do

Motivation and engagement are intrinsically interlinked to joy and a sense of achievement. And it starts with the type of activity that floats you boat and gets you into flow so to speak.  But it’s not so much about just the activity, but WHY that activity feels engaging.

For example, ask 20 mountain bike riders why they love riding.  I guarantee that the answers will not be the same. Some will love it for the exercise, others the freedom, others for being in nature and companionship.  Or, perhaps a combination of several.

Take a look at the activities that give you joy.  It could even be just having a coffee chat with a colleague and cheering them up.  It could be diving deeply into an IT conundrum.  But go deeper and pick out the elements of why and see where else you can find a similar joy in your work and life in general.

Management will also benefit from a group workshop focus here and include their own joy.  And on that topic, it’s well known that not all managers love managing staff.  This year I ran a small Poll exploring preferences for management or mentor roles if the salary was the same.   Food for thought there to own your path.

Final thoughts 

Joy, engagement, ups and downs are all part of this thing we call life and work.  Nothing or no one is perfect.  Being aware of your own limitations and brilliance alongside not allowing to be dominated and mistreated by others will go a long way to strengthening your engagement muscle and encourage others to do the same.

Sometimes you need to leave, sometimes stay.  Read more about how to weigh up those decisions here.   But either way, back yourself.

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And if you are ready to jump or have been made redundant grab a copy of my just  launched Job Search & Career Marketing Action Guide to maximise your job search.

Job Search & Career Marketing Action Guide