The survey shows that 76% of "engaged" employees have a trusted buddy, but it also highlights a worrisome statistic: 15% of workers qualify as "actively disengaged." These ADs are discontent enough to actually fuel a negative corporate vibe.
If you care about an innovative workplace, these numbers matter. Eighty-nine percent of EEs know where to take their decisions on improving customer service; only 16% of ADs do. EEs tend to issue positive corporate reviews: 55% describe their company as "encouraging new ideas," while only 4% of ADs agree.
Gallup estimates that ADs cost the U.S. economy some $328 billion. Maybe that's because 85% of EEs say they've had a positive impact on their customers, while only 20% of ADs say they have (and we don't believe them, anyhow).
Ellen O'Brien, a former senior editor at CIO Decisions, is now a senior editor at Storage magazine. Write to her at eobrien@techtarget.com.
This was first published in March 2007