Last month I blogged about how the Business Confidence Index is at its lowest. I have seen the results for the latest survey and it does not look like things are improving, nor do I think they will until the election is over (at the earliest). During these times, it is common for someone to feel Trapped in their job. To learn a little more about Trapped employees, you can go to a previous blog. Trapped employees are difficult in the workplace because often times they are fulfilling a job, they may not be a star, but they are probably getting the job done. However, it is the attitude and other behaviors that go along with these Trapped employees that is the problem. I was sent this article which delves into some of the psychological aspects of a Trapped employee.
I really like the idea that when things are great, we assume we did it. When things are bad, we assume it is an external factor. I think often one of the external factors that gets blamed is the company. There is no doubt companies are at fault and can help the situation, but the employees have some responsibility in this equation to check their attitude at the door and be appreciate of the opportunities they do have. Here is a blog I wrote a while ago that I think gets at the Trapped employee, only from the prospective of a sea lion, yeah, you read that right.
In these times, I think it is imperative to take time to measure employee loyalty. You can easily identify the percentage of Trapped employees and get specific recommendations to make these employees more loyal to the company. The question I get asked all the time is, “Will the employee really be honest?” The answer is, “Absolutely.” You would be shocked at the honesty I have seen on employee surveys. You always have your cynics and your people who treat it as a joke, but I really believe the vast majority of employees do take these surveys to heart and provide open and honest feedback. They want to be excited about the work and the potential they have at the company. Companies just need to take the time and money to talk to the employees.
