The greatest single threat to the future of organizations as we know them today is the inability of leadership to engage its workforce for sustainable satisfaction and engagement. In the recent State Of The Global Workplace Report, Gallup concludes that “85% of employees are not actively engaged or (are) actively disengaged at work.” This means that only 15% of employees are actively engaged. The financial cost of this is staggering.
Interestingly, studies are revealing two key points. First, that engagement, as traditionally defined, is not sufficient in today’s pressured and fast-paced work environment to keep employees working effectively. And second, there are gaps in two critical areas that are essential to sustainable engagement.
The first gap is in effectively enabling workers with support, resources and tools. Although we have come a long way in recognizing the need and providing the necessary resources, tools and support for our employees, clearly we’re not there yet. And furthermore, as work environments transition to more complex, ambiguous, and organic organizational systems, the resources, tools and support that employees need is quickly changing.
The second gap is in creating an environment that is energizing to work in – one that promotes physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. Closing this gap is not only critical for the future, it poses a formidable challenge because it means a shift must take place in our organizational social mindset – a completely new mindset – unlike anything we’ve had in the past.
The ground-breaking revelations coming from brain science and neuroscience is pointing to the need for a deliberate way of thinking. Scientific evidence indicates that as humans we are in a constant state of energy flow, positive and negative. Studies show when we experience positive thoughts and feelings that is when we are experiencing a positive energy flow. Positive human energy has the ability to attract, mesh and combine with other positive human energy, creating an energized state that promotes a greater capacity for achieving peak performance, for building and maintaining good relationships, and for experiencing good health.
The skill of Positive Presence is quickly becoming the new and necessary tool and resource to support today’s frontline workers and their leaders.
CORPORATE HARMONY is grateful to Dr. Michael E. Frisina for his contributions to this entry.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.