A new Gallup Poll finds 60% of American workers feel their job is unfulfilling. Many feel disengaged, discouraged, underemployed or uninvovled.
"The psychological driver of not being able reach goals and just finding under employment doesn't utilize people's full skills," according to Professor Matthew Zingoni with the Management and Marketing Department at University of New Orleans, are main factors the majority of Amercans in the work place are feeling.
Zingoni says workers are trapped in their work decisions and can't find a way out: "We're going through some growing pains trying to achieve that balanced economy. Making sure that people have options throughout their working lives. And not some phases that are really good and then hope for the best in other phases."
Companies recognize this, Zingoni says, and are working to make employees feel value and engaged in the workplace.
"It's not a new argument, it's been a timeless struggle at making employees feel really valued," Zingoni says. "It's what you do or what you say, it's how you make your employees feel."
Zingoni says there is no best practice. Each organization must strike a balance between employee productivity and valuing employees likes and skillsets.
"It's difficult because there is no best practice, 'do this and the problem is solved,'" Zingoni says. "It's very idiosyncratic to each organization to find that blend of being productive and valuing your employees life and skill set."
