Employee engagement has a negative side. Actively disengaged employees can pose a significant threat to your businesses. However, recognising the signs allows you to take steps to address the issue.
Engagement is not as straightforward as it may seem. According to Gallup, there are three personas of engagement: engaged, not engaged, and actively disengaged.
Engaged employees work passionately and forge a strong, meaningful connection with their company. These individuals are the innovators driving the organisation forward. In contrast, disengaged employees are essentially “checked out”, lacking the passion, energy, or enthusiasm necessary for their roles. Yet, it is the actively disengaged employees who represent the real danger.
Actively disengaged employees are not merely unhappy in their jobs; they are so dissatisfied and frustrated that they express their discontent openly. They undermine their colleagues, voice complaints, and foster a negative attitude that can permeate the organisation if left unaddressed. The impact of actively disengaged employees on your bottom line can be severe – they have been known to cost companies billions in lost productivity. According to one source, around a fifth of employees in the UK are actively disengaged, making this a critical concern for performance management .
Top 10 signs of active employee disengagement
1. Social withdrawal and lack of participation
A gradual withdrawal or silence among team members can serve as an early warning sign of active disengagement. It’s crucial to monitor your employees – have they stopped engaging in group activities? Do they seem to have strained relationships with colleagues? Are they opting to eat lunch at their desks instead of taking the opportunity to stretch their legs and socialise?
Never underestimate the importance of workplace relationships. Human beings are inherently social creatures, and having friends at work helps us feel connected to our organisation, fostering a sense of belonging. When that connection fades, we can become disengaged and disillusioned with our environment.
2. An increase in the number of breaks
Flexibility is one the most valuable benefits an organisation can provide – employees should be encouraged to work in a manner that suits them best. This may mean that some employees take more breaks than others, as individual needs for downtime can vary significantly. Taking breaks is not just acceptable, in fact, it can enhance engagement and productivity.
However, it’s important to monitor employees whose break patterns change dramatically. For instance, if someone suddenly starts taking two five-minute breaks every hour instead of one, it may indicate disengagement. Similarly, an increase in coffee, snack, or cigarette breaks could signal a lack of interest or investment in their work, which warrants further investigation.
3. Productivity and quality of work have taken a nosedive
A clear indicator of disengagement among employees is a noticeable decline in productivity and work quality. When team members no longer care, their performance will inevitably drop below their usual standards. An once top-performing employee might begin missing deadlines or require reminders from colleagues. Their discretionary effort may dimmish completely, and they might settle for “good enough.” You may observe them shifting responsibility, claiming that others should have completed the work or that a colleague’s input was essential to their tasks.
Line managers should conduct regular coaching conversations with their team members to identify any signs of declining performance. Ignoring these issues is the worst approach. Instead, take immediate action and offer support in any way possible. Show your employees that you are there for them an invested in their success. Discover the key to employee engagement and learn how to enhance performance and productivity through improved engagement in our collection for free resources.
4. They arrive last and leave first
Actively disengaged employees often create an illusion of wasted time. Having lost respect for their organisation and their work, they openly exhibit this attitude. Typically, they are the last to arrive in the morning and the first to depart in the evening.
When confronted about their behaviour, these employees are likely to offer a plethora of excuses and may even become defensive. They are generally unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, which means that if their disengagement persists, you will need to take significant steps to address this sudden apathy. This leads us to our next point…
5. Increase in absenteeism
Presenteeism is a growing problem in the workplace, but it typically doesn’t affect those who are actively disengaged. In fact, disengaged employees are often more likely to call in sick regularly, regardless of whether they are actually unwell.
Pay particular attention if an employee frequently calls in sick on Mondays or Fridays – for those who have genuinely lost their passion for their work, a long weekend can be hard to resist.
This behaviour ultimately stems from apathy, which can manifest in other ways as well. Monitor their activities while at the office. If they spend an excessive amount of time on social media and show little interest in learning or developing work-related skills, these are clear indicators that your employees have mentally and emotionally checked out.
6. Reluctance to embrace challenges
When your workforce is engaged, they’re motivated to pursue personal and organisational goals, eagerly taking on new challenges and accepting greater responsibilities. In contrast, disengaged employees lose interest in pushing themselves and are likely to decline opportunities that could lead to excellence.
If you observe this happening, don’t ignore it – ask your employees why they have chosen to forgo additional responsibilities. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload, or they might be disengaged. Regardless of the reason, managers should proactively step in to collaborate with staff and find a solution.
7. Disparaging colleagues' achievements
Disengaged employees, as previously mentioned, are not just unenthusiastic, they can also be toxic. They may actively disparage their colleagues and undermine their accomplishments. Having stopped pursuing their own goals and aspirations within the company, they fail to see the value in others’ successes. Be vigilant of this behaviour, as it can demotivate your workforce and significantly harm morale.
8. They no longer wish to learn or grow
Actively disengaged employees tend to become complacent, which negatively impacts both the quality of their work and their personal development. You may notice an employee who once showed enthusiasm for industry trends or frequently asked questions now remains silent – this is clear indicator of disengagement. If you are promoting continuous learning and development but they demonstrate no interest or actively avoid growth opportunities, it’s evident they have become unmotivated and lack the desire to advance within your company.
9. They openly disparage company aims and objectives
You company has established goals and aspirations, steering your team toward a shared direction where their strengths contribute to achieving these objectives. Actively disengaged employees often appear indifferent to your company’s ambitions with attitudes that can come across as mocking and dismissive. This behaviour is a significant red flag – you want your employees to be enthusiastic about your company’s future rather than undermining it at every turn.
10. They often display a poor attitude
Actively disengaged employees make their presence felt through a negative attitude. They have lost interest in their role within your organisation and may feel wronged by the company, leading them t act out. Be vigilant for signs of employees undermining others, criticising more than contributing, and participating in toxic workplace gossip.
A bad attitude often manifests as disrespect. During one-on-one meeting, if you sense that an employee is being sarcastic, defensive, or belligerent – unwilling to accept constructive criticism or take responsibility for their actions – these are clear indicators or disengagement.
As Curt Coffman, co-author of First, Break All the Rules and Follow This Path, notes: “Actively disengaged people operate from the mindset, I’m okay. You are not okay.’ They believe they are doing what needs to be done while everyone else is wrong. Negativity is like a blood clot; actively disengaged employees often cluster in groups that reinforce each other’s views. While even engaged individuals may occasionally become negative, an ectively disengaged person finds it nearly impossible to contribute to solutions, as they thrive on being part of the problem.”
Don’t allow actively disengaged employees to taint your company culture. Watch for these warning sings and take decisive steps to address the root causes of disengagement. No one intends to be disengaged; it’s likely that your employee was once satisfied and enthusiastic about their role. With sufficient effort, you can redirect their path and cultivate an engaged employee.
Engage in open discussions with your employees during your regular one-on-ones to tackle the situation directly. This approach can help transform an actively disengaged employee into a motivated, productive team member while enhancing overall engagement levels.
For any company to thrive, it is crucial to monitor employee engagement levels before it’s too late. Discover how OneAdvanced’s Performance and Talent’s leading employee engagement software can assist you in this endeavour - book a free personalised demo today.