Gallup’s 30/50/20 metric seems to hold true in any industry. You know the breakdown – in any given workplace, about 30% of the employees are engaged – they would run through a wall for the organization. About 50% of the employees are not engaged. They’re not really hurting the business with intent. They come to work, do their jobs, and collect their paychecks. These are not the teammates, however, you’d ask to go the extra mile. And then, there’s the 20% of the work team that is actively disengaged. Not all of these employees are intentionally trying to harm the workplace. In most cases, they’ve simply decided to devote the bulk of their energy to preventing change or perpetuating toxicity.
Most business cultures try to grow the engaged group, convert the non-engaged, and somehow mitigate the actively disengaged. The engaged teammates are virtually self-sustaining. With a small amount of investment, their energy is fueled from within. The actively disengaged teammates, on the other hand, consume a considerable amount of leadership attention. Sadly, we end up devoting the majority of our resources to the minority of our people. Whether through action or attrition, shrinking the actively non-engaged group is vital.
The conversion of the middle group is the greatest challenge and usually tips the culture. Perhaps wrongly identified as “not engaged,” it takes a compelling vision with tangible connections to reach this critical mass of talent. These teammates need to have a reason for coming to work that connects with their life purpose. They must experience the place where their role makes an impact in the world. It is with these employees where our investment as employers will best feed succession and sustainability. These are not the obvious high potential leaders. These are the hidden gems of talent who, with regular mentoring and nourishment, may thrive.
Take a walk through your organization’s roster. Which teammates are in the 30% engaged group? What should you be doing to propel their momentum? Who is actively disengaged and, either through omission or commission, hurting your workplace? Finally, what will be the irresistible, reachable connection that awakens the 50% of your teammates who would rather not be seen as non-engaged?
More From Steve Ritter
4 Easy Steps to Disable a Team
Steve Ritter is the Founder and CEO of the Team Clock Institute, a Chicago-based consulting firm specializing in the assessment, training, and coaching of effective teams. You can learn more about the Team Clock Institute at http://teamclock.com.
