Do Your Employees Feel Invisible?
03.27.2008 | Chris BaileyA little while back at the Employee Engagement Network, David Zinger posed a question to the group about important engagement statistics. He writes:
In an interview about the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 for the Gallup Management Journal, Tom Rath discussed the strong link between a leader’s focus and employee engagement. Here were the 3 powerful conclusions from Gallup’s research on conversation, engagement, and strengths:
If your manager primarily ignores you your chances of being actively disengaged are 40%
If your manager focuses on your weaknesses your chances of being actively disengaged are 22%
If you manager focuses on your strengths your chances of being actively disengaged are only 1%
The point of the statistics is to show the importance of management focus on employees’s strengths rather than their weaknesses. Makes sense. But, I guess the surprise for me is that (only?) 40% are disengaged if their manager ignores them. There’s probably some nuances behind this stat, but it does make you wonder who that other 60% is doesn’t it?
Being flat-out ignored by a manager or executive decision-makers unfortunately does happen far more than it should. However, my guess is if you’re a manager and you’re here reading this, you don’t fall into this rogue’s gallery of emotional unintelligence and leadership incompetence. But even the best managers can fall prey to some forms of ignoring her or his people. Each of these ignoring actions can contribute to a feeling of employee invisibility:
Not acknowledging contributions
Individuals want to know that their contributions are seen and appreciated. It always amazes me that so many organizations undercommunicate the genuinely positive experiences of its employees. And sorry…a generic, “Way to go!” doesn’t cut it. Be direct and be specific in what you say.
Not recognizing expertise
For many managers, expertise is only applicable if it’s directly related to an employee’s immediate work (a marketer’s expertise is marketing, an accountant’s expertise is in accounting, and so on). But only seeing and valuing this one-dimensional resume expertise can be discouraging. Managers need to take the time to learn about the expertise that exists outside their employees’s normal everyday work. It could be that your organization’s next great breakthrough may come from an unlikely place…but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.
Not seeing the individual worth
This is really about seeing someone only at the surface and in the plural form. It sees “people” but ignores the “person.” It’s the manager who walks by an employee’s desk and says “hi” but never stops to actually get to know him or her. Stop with the small talk and take the time to ask more interesting and powerful questions that can help you get to know your employees better.
As Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey write in How The Way We Talk Can Change The Way We Work (and if you haven’t read it, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a copy):
We all do better at work if we regularly have the experience that what we do matters, that it is valuable, and that our presence makes a difference to others. We may know in our hearts that what we do matters, but it is certainly confirming to hear the words from others. We do not, after all, work and live in a vacuum. Believing that what we do and how we do it make a difference can also lead us to take additional care in performing our work.
The good news is that each of these are quickly remedied with some careful self-awareness. And if you’re still not sure whether you’re fully seeing your employees, take the courageous path and ask.
16 Responses to “Do Your Employees Feel Invisible?”
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Chris.
All those “nots”, not acknowledging, not recognizing, not seeing, can tie the workplace up in knots. Reminds me of a little book by R. D. Laing, a psychiatrist of the 60’s called Knots.
I have not read the book you mentioned and I will look into it.
David
Hiya David, definitely pick up Kegan and Lahey’s book…I know you’ll like and appreciate it.
I did a little Google search for Laing and now I’m intrigued…thanks for sharing another voice I had not yet heard.
Hi Chris,
I find thes statistics intriguing as well. What really catches my attention is that people are almost twice as like to be engaged if they have only negative attention as opposed to no attention at all!
I think we forget sometimes how utterly demotivating it is to be rendered invisible.
Thanks for helping to spread the word about the power of employee recognition!
Cindy Ventrice
author of Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works
Hiya Cindy, welcome and thanks for adding your voice to the dialogue. The more I’ve been reflecting on this subject, the more I’m coming to realize that not truly seeing employees is perhaps the greatest failure of leadership in an organization. Nothing de-moralizes someone more…and increases their likelihood of checking out.
Look forward to learning more about your work at building employee recognition.
Tag, You’re It
http://www.e2oh.com/2008/03/28/tag-youre-it/
An uncanny relevance to your post Do Your Employees Feel Invisible?
I think this all relates back to Maslow and what people in jobs, once they’ve met their security needs are looking for. That’s the next level up, to feel appreciated.
Once they know they can get a job, they want to find the right job. One that satisfies their belonging needs and more importantly, their self-esteem needs.
Hiya Steve, welcome and thanks for connecting to the e2.oh post. I’ve actually been searching for a similar system that would allow organizations to better utilize its internal networks and nonconventional expertise. I’m not a huge fan of the typical performance appraisal process, but I can see the tagging method offering another tool in the coaching relationship that must be part of the management-employee dynamic. Thanks again.
Hiya Richard, it’s amazing how much Maslow still applies (probably due to the fact that he hit on such a deep universal truth of our needs). And it’s equally amazing how our organizations continue to not recognize this hierarchy. Until we move from the organization-as-machine model to organization-as-human model, we’ll continue to see an unfortunate disengagement from work by individuals who just want to be seen and acknowledged for what they bring to the table. Thanks for adding to the dialogue.
I believe, the first time you hear about Maslow you shrug and think “heh, another cute sociology model”. Then when it pops up the next time..you recall it…then, as it begins reoccuring every year or two you begin to find ways to apply it and incorporate it in what you do.
Chris,
The part about specificity is exceedingly important. I’ve been working on a project with an organization for 9 years. The president offers more than ample “That was great!” comments to everyone. After a while, we figured out that now none of us actually even trusts the guy. We each have asked him what it is that he likes about a certain thing. He answers with, “Hey, that was great!”
My realization: If you can’t say something specific, don’t say anything at all.
Steve, sounds like you have a cheerleader president on your hands…full of rah rah, but all that cheering lacks in any real substance. So while he appears to be engaged and enthusiastic, his underlying communication implies something far different. So, did he ever get clued in to his communication style and its effects? Is it a case where he’s just lost in knowing how to acknowledge others?
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I am an invisible employee. I used to feel that even though my clerical position was low on the totem pole, that my efforts meant something to the ultimate goals of my insititution. I felt that our VP shared the overall goals with everyone and provided our small dept. with upgraded tools to do our job because he realized the importance we had to those overall goals. I have been with my office for 24 years. The VP we had died tragically of cancer. My immediate supervisor is micro managing us. She has humiliated me in front of my co-workers by putting me down for asking questions concerning a new data base we are installing. I have been approached by 6 people that have left my dept. and told that they left because of her constant micro-mgt. and put downs. During my yearly review, I tried just one last time to discuss some issues she seems to have with me. She went bullistic and threatened me. I have since been looking for another position. I am a hard working person, who beleives in patience while training people (I’ve trained everyone for about 15 years now). I love to help people, do research and work in a congenial environment to solve problems.
We are not allowed to speak to anyone outside our dept., or with each other. I have felt invisible for a long time now. This has affected my health, my life outside of work and my state of mind.
I have begun to take courses and plan to find some meaningful volunteer work to boost my self esteem. I have also spoken to my spvsrs boss and the employee assistance person for our comany. I think this sight is wonderful. Thank you.
Hi Cathy, thank you so much for sharing your painful experience. As hard as it must be to think of leaving a place where you’ve put in 24 years of your life, you’re making the right decision. Any place that tears down your self esteem and confidence is toxic. Hold tight and true to who you know that you are: a hard working, patient, good helping professional that will be welcome in an organization that will see you and appreciate all you bring.
First and foremost, take care of yourself. Connect with your volunteer experience and hold on to the energy you gain there. Make it your armor. And find that next workplace as soon as you possibly can.
Please let me know how things go…and if there’s anything that I can do to help you. Be well.
Cathy-Volunteering is great, you will feel good about it. The world does not embrace a hard working, good person in the workplace the way they should I often see the complainers, and people doing less gain more popularity. The world word needs more of you, and it is key you find appreciation in your next employment. There is less civility in the workplace these days.
Another big area for invisibility in today's market is a contractor. Contractors are brought in as temp help in companies, and given a job function to support regular employees. Because their status is temporary they are not included on company outings or functions, and are socially excluded. Contractors have had long term employment in past jobs and were part of a team, respected and able to grow. It is good to be working, but definately an invisible function.
My supervisor is demeaning understanding a contractor's status is less than their own and takes every opportunity to correct and micromanage everything I do. I am not fond of my supervisor, he is the first one I worked with who truly makes subordinates feel stupid and inferior.