
Are coaching and engagement inter-related?
Gallup’s annual ‘State of the Global Workplace’ report has been published this week and the headlines paint an interesting picture.
On the one hand, employee engagement levels are up compared to last year, with the report stating that 23% of the global workforce is engaged at work. On the other hand, this suggests that 77% of the global workforce is not engaged at work – the report goes on to clarify that 59% are ‘not engaged’ whilst 18% are ‘actively disengaged’.
Let’s discuss this….. if we have 10 people in our team, the data implies that two of our team are engaged, six of them are not engaged and that two are actively disengaged. How does that translate for your team?
The report goes on to say, “Looking at the big picture, low-engagement workers represent an immense opportunity for economic growth” (Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy US$8.8 trillion and accounts for 9% of global GDP). The report also offers that, “Leadership and management directly influence workplace engagement, and there is much that organizations can do to help their employees thrive at work.”
The estimated cost of low engagement to the global economy is staggering, particularly with comparatively low-cost solutions that organisations can deploy in order to help their employees move from ‘not engaged’ to ‘engaged’.
We were delighted by Gallup’s ‘headline’ solution to the engagement challenge. They say (and we agree!), “The manager is the linchpin of engagement. 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager.” And here’s the hot-off-the-press headline: “In the past three years, Gallup has provided coaching training to over 14,000 managers. Up to 18 months after the training, manager engagement is 10% to 22% higher, and their team’s engagement is 8% to 18% higher.”
When we see this kind of global data, outlining coaching as a highly effective development tool (for both individuals and their managers as coaches), it speaks directly to the outcomes that we routinely see our clients reaching: greater engagement, ownership, creativity, efficiency, and empowerment, to name a few.
We’re delighted to see this evidence from Gallup. Coaching brings so many benefits to individuals, teams and organisations. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch!
To read the Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report, click here.