Listening is the New Employee Engagement Tool

Two-thirds of American workers feel disconnected and unengaged from their jobs, according to a Gallup study. In addition, 52% of employees are not committed to their work and feel as if they are ‘sleepwalking’ through their day. According to the same study, perks such as time off do not make up for disliking your job. Gallup CEO Jim Clifton points out that the cost of bad management is high, considering it is their responsibility to get employees excited about their job. In order to test employee engagement, Gallup asks employees to answer the following questions:

1. I know what is expected of me at work
2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best everyday
4.  In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development
7. At work, my opinions seem to count
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important
9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work
10. I have a best friend at work
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow