There is a growing recognition even among the hardest-driving companies that they pay a price for not engaging their employees. A disengaged workplace can manifest itself in low morale, high turnover, burnout, frequent stress-related illness, and rising absenteeism. Many years ago the Gallup Organization discovered that, “disengaged” or “actively disengaged” employees which make up 64% of the workforce, could cost organizations overall up to $355 billion a year! The smartest organizations – and employees – are revitalizing their workplaces to become supportive and inspirational environments. When employees are encouraged to release their passions and potential, they become fully engaged in the work and committed to the organization. As a result, the possibility for organizations to produce greater productivity and profits is significantly increased. By being engaged you can create a vibrant place to work not only for yourself, but for all those around you.
So how do we engage in our work?
Energy
The first way is be aware of your energy level. Think of the workplace as each of us walking around as balls of energy emitting waves of vibrations to each other. While you can’t physically see these vibrations you can feel and hear how they impact other people’s energy levels. For example, the workplace is filled with “energy vampires” just waiting to suck the energy from you and everyone else around them. The workplace is also filled with “energy fairies” wanting to sprinkle their magical, positive “gold energy dust” on all those they come into contact with. While workplace vampires drain us of our energy and thus disengage us with our work, the workplace fairies uplift our energy making us feel lighter and more connected with our work.
Enthusiasm
The other way is through enthusiasm. I’ve always appreciated that the Greek root of this word means God within. To be enthusiastic is something that we need to be from the inside out. We resonate our enthusiasm to others once we know how to radiate it first within ourselves; connecting with the heart of we are, our divine selves.
Choice
To fully engage in our workplaces is a choice we make each day. Poet David Whyte shared an analogy that has always stuck with me. He said how we need to bring our wholeselves to work because many of leave most of who we are in the car when we go to work. Yet when we are engaged, fully engaged in ourselves, we tap into our highest energy and enthusiasm levels; allowing us to work wholeheartedly!
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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.
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Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most.