Only 34% of the US workforce feels engaged in their workplace. If you’re not feeling engaged, don’t worry; you’re not alone. Unfortunately, one in three employees quit their jobs due to boredom.
Over 60% of American workers feel burned out by their jobs, too.
You don’t have to quit your job! Instead, use these tips to learn how to stay engaged at work. With these tips, you can improve your satisfaction as an employee.
Start loving your job and boost your productivity today!
Why Does Engagement at Work Matter?
Engagement at work refers to the level of involvement, commitment, and enthusiasm employees have towards their job and the organization they work for. It goes beyond mere job satisfaction and encompasses a deeper connection and sense of purpose in one’s work.
Workplace engagement matters because it directly impacts productivity, job satisfaction, and overall organizational success. Engaged employees are the driving force behind a high-performing, innovative, and customer-centric organization.
Also Read:
What is the Purpose of Engagement?
How to Stay Engaged at Work?
1. Own Your Performance
The decline in job engagement and satisfaction is due to a lack of:
- Opportunities to learn and grow
- Connection to the company mission
- Clarity of expectations
- Opportunities to do what employees love
- Feeling cared about at work
- Having someone encourage their development
- Having a friend at work
Take a moment to consider why you no longer feel engaged at work. It’s important to remember that you’re in control of your engagement levels and work performance. While your employer can make it easier or more difficult for you to feel engaged, you still need to make the effort.
Don’t wait for your employer to give you permission to grow. Instead, advocate for yourself. Determine your priorities and outline your career path.
Try setting short- and long-term goals for the rest of the year. Outlining your goals can help you remain motivated and focused. Break your larger goals into smaller benchmarks and determine how you’ll accomplish each one.
Breaking your goals into manageable chunks can help you feel more accomplished as an employee.
2. Stay Optimistic
While your job won’t be fun all the time, it’s still important to remain optimistic. Recognize what you enjoy about your job. Even the smallest factors can help you enjoy work.
For example, maybe you love:
- Your employees
- The work you produce
- Financial security
- Job security
- Building your skills and resume
- Taking steps on your career path
People want to work with others who are optimistic. Optimism can benefit your relationships and credibility.
However, it’s also important to remain realistic about what you can accomplish. Don’t overcommit. Prioritize what you’re capable of completing on a daily basis to avoid burnout.
Otherwise, you could put unnecessary stress and pressure on your own shoulders.
3. Rely on Colleagues
Remember, you’re not alone. Remain connected with your colleagues. Engaging with others can help you remain engaged at work.
It can also make work more enjoyable.
Your colleagues can help you remain accountable, friendly, and motivated. They can also help you overcome hurdles or difficult projects.
Your colleagues can provide a sympathetic ear when you need it most. Meanwhile, engaging with your colleagues can support your mental well-being at work. If the workload becomes too much, you’ll have someone you can depend on.
Ask questions and listen to their thoughts or concerns as well.
Their advice could even help you find new ways to remain engaged.
4. Think Ahead
Try to develop a future-focused mindset. Long-term thinking can help you remain engaged at work.
Think ahead on a daily basis, too. Create a to-do list for the day or week and stick to it. Planning out your day can help you get more done.
It can also help you recognize which tasks you need to prioritize. You’ll feel more job satisfaction as you check items off your to-do list.
Thinking ahead can boost your job productivity short and long term.
5. Speak Up
Quiet quitters now make up at least 50% of the US workforce. More people aren’t going above and beyond at work or meeting their job descriptions. Others no longer give extra effort to collaborate or meet customer needs.
The number of actively disengaged employees has increased to 18%.
Instead of becoming a quiet (or loud quitter, if you plan to quit outright), talk to your manager. One of the clear symptoms of quiet quitting is poor management. Work with your employer to find solutions.
Address your concerns to come up with solutions together.
For example, you can:
- Outline your strengths
- Specify your goals
- Have regular, meaningful conversations
- Develop accountability tracking
- Change your work environment (by going remote)
If you’re feeling unmotivated at work, let someone know. Though the conversation can feel daunting, it will show your employer you care about the long-term.
Work with your boss and colleagues to brainstorm ideas. They can help you reach your full potential.
6. Ask for Feedback
In addition to voicing your concerns, make sure to ask for feedback. Determine how you’re doing at work and where you can improve. If your boss doesn’t provide feedback regularly, schedule a regular one-on-one session to request feedback.
Let them know what you’re working on. Ask them if they’d like you to start on something else. Determine how you can do better on a regular basis, too.
Their feedback can motivate you to make improvements. Their praise could help you feel more positive about your work performance as well.
7. Seek Growth
Finding growth opportunities can also help you remain engaged at work. Remember, you don’t have to wait for your employer to speak up first. If they’re not providing growth opportunities, ask for what you need.
Let your employer know what you’re working on and where you’re struggling. They might recommend learning opportunities based on the gaps in your knowledge base. Some classes can improve your analytical and listening skills, too.
Choose courses that align with the goals you set for yourself.
Learning is correlated with happiness. Learning something new and sharpening your skill set can help you remain engaged. Meanwhile, you can show your employer that you care about improving over time.
Finding growth opportunities can help you build a relationship of trust with your employer. Show your employer that you want to take the initiative to contribute more to the company’s success than you already are.
8. Embrace Demands
You might not feel engaged at work because you’re not feeling challenged. If you do things too easily, you could get bored. You might feel your motivation levels drop.
If work is too difficult and time-consuming, however, it could lead to burnout.
Try to find a middle ground regarding job demands.
Look for job responsibilities that challenge your skill set and mindset. You can use your analytical skills to start solving problems. Embracing demand will also show your employer you want to do more.
For example, you can start looking for opportunities outside of your department. You can try to get the next job promotion, too.
Don’t wait until you feel 100% ready to take on a challenge. Instead, dive in! You could be surprised at what you’re capable of.
9. Use Vacation Days
Remember, you don’t want to experience burnout. If you’re feeling drained, make the most of your vacation days. Use your paid time off to your advantage.
Even a single mental health day after a busy workload can help you recharge. Try to plan something to look forward to. You’ll feel more motivated to work as a result.
Otherwise, look for ways to reward yourself. A reward system can help you remain motivated. You can set rewards on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Choose smaller rewards when you accomplish minor goals, such as treating yourself to dessert after a long week. Choose bigger rewards, like a vacation, when you complete bigger goals or huge projects.
You can also look into gamification platforms for your company!
10. Change the Scenery
Remaining stagnant at work could affect your engagement levels. Ask your manager if you can work from a coffeehouse or home. A change of scenery could help reinvigorate your focus, which will help you remain engaged.
You can even schedule a work-cation. Instead of working from home, travel and work from a different location. Rent out an Airbnb and have fun with it!
Otherwise, use your lunch break to soak up a little sun. Vitamin D can benefit your mental health. A walk can boost your energy levels and help you remain physically fit, too.
If you’re trying to remain active, talk to your boss about wellness programs. A corporate wellness program will help you improve your mental and physical health. Staying healthy can boost your ability to focus and improve employee morale!
Final Thoughts
Putting these tips into practice can help you discover how to stay engaged at work. Use trial and error to determine which strategies boost your job productivity and satisfaction. Remember to communicate with your employer and team for help.
With these tips, you can stay engaged and fall back in love with your work!
Searching for more ways to boost employee engagement? Explore our latest tips and guides today.
