Introduction

Do you know that an alarming number of employees feel disengaged at work? It’s an epidemic impacting industry across the UAE & other Gulf countries.

In this post, we’re going deep into the issue of employee disengagement, a problem brought to light by research from Gallup and what Carl Jung termed as the “Falsification of Type”.

Moreover, we’ll introduce a powerful tool, the MAPS psychometric assessment, which solves this problem. Designed to match an individual’s unique personality to a job, promising a solution to the crisis of disengagement.

What is Employee Disengagement (and Why Does it Matter)?

Employee disengagement is a problem in organisations. Where individuals at work feel emotionally detached, disinterested and disinvested in their roles. It’s a state of being where employees are physically present but psychologically absent.

They’re often going through the motions of their jobs. Without any real enthusiasm or motivation.

This is not about having a blue Monday or a fleeting moment of dissatisfaction. It’s a persistent, pervasive state of mind that can have a harmful impact on all areas of a business.

An employee suffering from disengagement. Is less likely to be productive, creative or proactive in their job. Which can lead to a gradual decrease in the output and performance of an organisation.

Yet, the consequences of employee disengagement stretch far beyond productivity.

Disengaged employees can damage a company’s reputation. Through negative word-of-mouth, both internally and externally. They can also harm customer relationships by delivering substandard service. As they typically need more commitment and passion to exceed customer expectations.

Even more concerning, disengagement can become contagious, within a team or company if not addressed. Creating a toxic work environment that further exacerbates the issue.

On the financial front, the repercussions are no less severe. According to Gallup’s research, disengaged employees can cost organisations billions in lost productivity. So, addressing employee disengagement isn’t just about creating a more positive workplace environment. It’s also crucial for a company’s bottom line.

Given the importance of the issue. It’s important for organisations to understand, track and take measures against employee disengagement.

The first step is recognising the problem. As we have covered here, the next step, and equally important, is finding a solution. And this is where MAPS Psychometric Assessment comes in.

The History of Employee Disengagement

Employee disengagement, although a modern term, has roots that reach far into the past. We can trace the beginnings of this issue back to the early days of the Industrial Revolution. Around the late 18th to early 19th century.

It was a time when most people worked in factories and were treated more like parts of a machine than human beings. They were often expected to do the same tasks over and over again, day in, day out, with little to no variation.

On top of this, they received no recognition or appreciation for their work. Leading many to feel disconnected and detached from their jobs.

Back then, of course, we didn’t have the term ’employee disengagement’.

However, the conditions were ripe for such feelings to grow and fester among the workforce.

The lack of attention to employee satisfaction. Coupled with the monotonous and mechanistic nature of jobs. Essentially created a breeding ground for disengagement.

Over time, as society moved away from the industrial era and into the age of knowledge and services. Work conditions and expectations evolved.

Jobs became more varied and intellectually stimulating. And there was an increasing focus on employee satisfaction and motivation. However, despite these positive changes, the problem of employee disengagement persisted. But this time in different forms.

The issue of employee disengagement has only gained significant attention in recent years. Largely thanks to extensive research by institutions like Gallup.

Their studies have shown a startling picture: only about a third of employees worldwide are genuinely engaged at work. Leaving a staggering two-thirds who are not.

These statistics highlight the scale and gravity of employee disengagement in today’s workplaces. Proving that it’s a problem we can no longer afford to ignore.

The journey from the Industrial Revolution to now has shown us that employee disengagement isn’t just a passing trend. It’s a deep-seated issue embedded in the fabric of our work culture.

However, acknowledging this history is just the first step. The next step – and the bigger challenge – is finding effective solutions to this age-old problem.

Terms to Know

1. Employee Disengagement: A state where an employee lacks emotional commitment to their job.
2. Falsification of Type: A term by Carl Jung describing people behaving contrary to their natural personality, often leading to stress and dissatisfaction.
3. MAPS Psychometric Assessment: A tool used to identify a person’s unique traits and align them with suitable job roles.

The Pros and Cons of MAPS Psychometric Assessment

Just like any tool. MAPS psychometric assessments have their benefits and limitations. Let’s delve into some of them:

Pros:

1. Better Matching of Employees and Jobs: The assessment can help us understand people’s natural traits and tendencies. This makes it easier to match people with jobs that suit their personalities. Increasing their chances of feeling satisfied and engaged at work.
2. Improved Hiring Decisions: It can give employers valuable insights during the hiring process. Helping to predict how well a candidate may fit into a specific role or team.
3. Boosting Employee Retention: By placing individuals in roles where they are likely to thrive. Companies can reduce turnover and increase employee retention.
4. Understanding Team Dynamics: The assessment can offer insights into how different personalities might interact within a team. Helping managers to build more balanced and effective teams.

Cons:

1. Not a Standalone Tool: Despite its benefits, it shouldn’t be the only tool used in making decisions. Experience, skills, and qualifications are also crucial factors that need to be considered.
2. Requires Expert Interpretation: MAPS psychometric assessments are designed to provide in-depth insights into an individual’s personality. But the results need to be interpreted by someone with the right knowledge and skills. While this might seem like a limitation, it’s actually a key advantage for businesses that choose to use MAPS. Our team of experts is on hand to help interpret and apply the results effectively. Ensuring you get the most value out of the assessments.
3. Change Over Time: People’s personality traits can change over time. Influenced by various factors such as life experiences or changes in circumstances. While this means that the assessments might need to be repeated periodically. It also provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to keep abreast of their employees’ development. And adjust their roles or tasks to ensure continuous alignment and engagement.
4. Does Not Measure Skills or Experience: While the MAPS psychometric assessment focuses on personality traits. It doesn’t directly measure an individual’s skills or experience. However, this is a benefit as it encourages a more holistic view of recruitment and placement. By using MAPS in conjunction with traditional skills and experience assessments. Businesses can gain a comprehensive understanding of a candidate or employee. Leading to better hiring decisions and job placements.

Remember, while MAPS psychometric assessments can be a powerful tool. They should be used as part of a broader decision-making process that considers all aspects of an individual’s suitability for a role.

How to Match the Right Person with the Right Job

The key to resolving employee disengagement lies in aligning individuals with roles that complement their unique personality traits and skills. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make this alignment happen, which can be greatly facilitated using the MAPS psychometric assessment:

Step 1: Understand the Role Requirements Before you can match a person to a job. You need to thoroughly understand the role itself. Consider the skills, knowledge, personality traits, and work styles that would best suit the position.

Step 2: Know Your Employees Get to know your employees or candidates beyond their CVs. Understand their interests, strengths, work styles, and motivations. This is where a tool like MAPS psychometric assessment comes in. It measures an individual’s thinking style, learning style, emotional intelligence, and Holland Code. Providing valuable insights about their potential fit for specific roles.

Step 3: Conduct the MAPS Assessment Invite your employees or candidates to participate in the MAPS psychometric assessment. This can be done conveniently online, and it involves answering a series of questions that aim to uncover the individual’s unique traits.

Step 4: Analyse the Results Once the assessments are completed, both the employer and the employee receive the results. They provide an in-depth understanding of the individual’s personality and potential job matches.

Step 5: Make the Match Now that you understand both the job requirements and the unique traits of your employees or candidates, it’s time to make the match. Use the MAPS results to guide your decision-making, placing individuals in roles where they can thrive and contribute meaningfully.

Step 6: Monitor and Adjust Matching the right person with the right job is not a one-time task. It’s important to continually monitor employee performance and engagement. If someone still seems disengaged, don’t hesitate to reassess their role alignment. Remember, people change, and so do organisations.

By following these steps and utilising the power of the MAPS psychometric assessment, you can significantly reduce employee disengagement, boost productivity, and foster a happier, more engaged workforce.

Here are five tips for addressing employee disengagement:

1. Foster a positive work culture: Create an environment that promotes employee well-being, open communication, and recognition of achievements. Encourage teamwork, provide opportunities for professional growth, and ensure that employees feel valued and supported.
2. Improve communication: Regularly communicate with employees to understand their needs, expectations, and concerns. Foster a two-way dialogue where employees feel comfortable expressing their ideas and providing feedback. Address any communication gaps or misunderstandings promptly.
3. Provide growth and development opportunities: Offer training programs, mentoring, and career advancement opportunities to employees. Help them develop new skills, expand their knowledge, and pursue their career goals within the organization. This shows that you are invested in their growth and can help increase engagement.
4. Recognize and reward achievements: Acknowledge and appreciate employees’ contributions and achievements. Implement a recognition program that highlights outstanding performance and encourages a culture of appreciation. Celebrate milestones, both big and small, to boost morale and reinforce a positive work environment.
5. Support work-life balance: Promote work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options or flexible working hours. Encourage employees to take breaks, prioritize self-care, and maintain a healthy work-life integration. This helps prevent burnout and enhances overall engagement.

6. Use MAPS assessment when developing a training programme: Utilize the MAPS psychometric assessment when developing the training plan for the employee. To gain insights into employees’ unique personality traits, work preferences, and strengths. Analyse the assessment results and align employees with job roles that are a good fit for their characteristics. This tailored approach can enhance engagement by ensuring employees are in roles that suit their natural inclinations and abilities.

Analysing Employee Disengagement

Addressing employee disengagement requires a proactive approach that:

• Involves seeking feedback
• Monitoring performance
• Recognizing the signs of disengagement

The MAPS assessment can play a crucial role in understanding the causes of disengagement. And formulating appropriate solutions.

By providing the assessment to employees. You can gain insights into their:

• Motivation levels
• Job satisfaction
• Alignment with organizational values

Analyze the results to identify patterns and trends. That show potential areas of disengagement.

This information can help you develop targeted interventions. Such as training programs, mentoring, or changes to work processes.

Additionally, use the assessment as a starting point. For open and honest conversations with employees.

Discuss their concerns, aspirations and any barriers they may be facing. By listening and taking their feedback into account. You can create a more engaged and fulfilling work environment.

Remember that addressing employee disengagement is an ongoing process. Regularly revisit the assessment results, monitor progress, and adapt your strategies as needed.

By prioritizing employee engagement. You can foster a positive workplace culture and improve overall performance.

Resources for Employee Disengagement

If you want to delve deeper into this issue, consider reading Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace”, or Carl Jung’s works on personality types. Websites such as HBR (Harvard Business Review) also frequently discuss employee engagement and disengagement.

Summary

Remember, an engaged workforce is a productive one. Tools like the MAPS psychometric assessment can help guide individuals into roles they’re naturally inclined towards, reducing employee disengagement. Start aligning personality with work today and witness the transformation in your employees and your workplace.

Get Help With Low Performing Employees

Want to address employee disengagement in your organization using MAPS psychometric assessments? Schedule a demo with our team today to learn more about how our tools can help your business.