13 Barriers To Employee Engagement To Break Down

Employee engagement can enhance productivity by 18% and profitability by 23%. It is also worth noting that engaged workers are 78% less likely to be absent. Thus, in today's highly competitive world, it is not only wise but also of utmost importance to develop a culture of engagement.

However, owing to such encouraging figures, even in the most recent 2024 Gallup data, only 23% of workers could be categorized as engaged at their workplaces. This is lower than the 2021 data, which was 39%. One could only assume the possible factors that the employers may or may not be concentrating upon to boost engagement.

For such explanations, let us study a few examples of barriers to employee engagement in different workplace sectors.

Barriers to Employee Engagement in the Healthcare Sector

Research has shown that nearly 20% of frontline employees, including nurses, did not feel their employer communicated appropriate messages.

According to another study, over one-third (34%) of participants experience difficulties using mobile apps for such systems. Again, about 20% of respondents do not use the intranet. Furthermore, slightly more than half of two-thirds of the participants managed to figure out how to administrate the intranet.

Indeed, a real tough challenge looms for healthcare leaders due to this communication gap. It all sets the stage for the erosion of employee engagement when workers feel disconnected and unsupported. As a result, it diminishes their morale and commitment, the two fundamentals for quality patient care and workforce satisfaction.

Barriers to Employee Engagement in the Retail Sector

Equally, on the flip side, retail employees too struggle with enthusiasm and engagement. A survey asking 1,000 retail workers revealed that:

1. 34% of them feel disconnected from the company.

2. Over a quarter of Millennial employees don't feel empowered.

3. And alarmingly, 41% of retail employees look disinterested upon going to work.

Unfortunately, these disengagements are leading the industry to lose an astounding $7 trillion from the world economy annually.

Barriers to Employee Engagement in the SaaS Sector

Fair compensation and work-life fit are two of the most important requirements for today's SaaS employees. Many know they can earn more than the inflation rate, raising their expectations for competitive pay.

Several organizations fail to offer attractive perks like remote work options, flexible hours, and vacation time. It is often noticed that their employees move on to switch jobs without a second thought. The post-pandemic increase in remote and hybrid work has further empowered them to hunt for jobs that best fit their needs and commitments.

Now that we've seen how healthcare, retail, and SaaS employees grapple with their unique challenges, it's time to get to the heart of the matter.

What are the 13 most common barriers to employee engagement?

Let's uncover these obstacles and see how they impact workplaces everywhere.

13 Common Barriers to Employee Engagement

Identifying barriers to employee engagement is just the first step. Addressing them is crucial for building a committed workforce.

Here are 13 common obstacles, along with solutions for each:

1. Lack of communication

Have you ever tried navigating a maze without a map? That is precisely what terrible communication feels like to an employee. Lack of communication keeps people in dark situations where they feel lost or disconnected. Such misleading situations hinder collaboration.

Organizations must lead open dialogues where feedback can be given and received regularly. When employees believe in being heard and kept informed, they feel desired and become engaged and motivated.

2. Inadequate recognition

When our efforts go unnoticed, the lack feeling underappreciated arises. feelings of unworthiness arise quickly. It leads to disengagement, as employees question their value and contributions to the team.

Therefore, it's essential to recognize and celebrate the little things that can significantly impact an employee's daily experience.

This can include:

• Acknowledging someone who consistently performs well.

• Appreciating an employee for their creative ideas.

• Rewarding a team for completing a challenging project.

• Or maybe a random shout-out for an employee trying hard to crack a code.

Source: Vantage Rewards

While the actions may differ, the goal is to boost employee morale and enhance their overall experience at work.

3. Limited growth opportunities

Limitations to learning and growth make employees feel stagnant. They lose enthusiasm when they cannot see a clear path toward growth. This may make them feel stalled in their roles and lose motivation.

Training, mentorship, and clarity of upward movement offer a chance to shake things up a bit. Employees are more likely to become engaged when leadership emphasizes the importance of an employee's growth through the quality of work it does and rewards upon their achieving goals.

4. Vague expectations

Playing a game while getting stuck on the rules can be frustrating, isn't it?

That's how employees feel when their roles and responsibilities are vague. Such ambiguity often leads to confusion and, thus, to a lack of motivation.

To help the employees, organizations must clearly state expectations and goals. After all, if employees know what they should be doing, they can set their sails to chance upon the sea of work, and that hereby paves their confidence, and improve their engagement!

5. Toxic work culture

A toxic work culture is like a gloomy cloud hanging over the office ceiling.

Toxic behaviors like disrespect, bias, inequality, and lack of appreciation create employee disengagement. The mere lack of manager support accentuates that disengagement.

Organizations must tackle such behaviors smartly, building an inclusive climate where employees feel equally valued, recognized, and empowered.

6. Inconsistent leadership

Frequent changes in a manager’s leadership style may confuse the team. Employees may face situations with unreasonable expectations that create uncertainty. Such inconsistency hampers trust and morale.

Organizations need sincere, stable leadership to unify on a solid vision. When employees are confident about their leader's nature, they become more secure and engaged.

7. Insufficient resources

Just as cooking needs the right ingredients in the right amounts, employees need the right tools and resources to do their jobs well. Any inadequacy here can bring about frustrations that can affect their performance.

Employers should assess the needs of their teams and provide them with appropriate tools and training to help them achieve their goals. Engagement and productivity will rise automatically when employees are competent in tackling their responsibilities.

8. Disregard for employee well-being

To ignore mental health is like ignoring the time bomb.

Neglect over time allows for everything from burnout to disengagement. It leaves the employees feeling wholly overwhelmed and unsupported.

It once again mandates organizations to prioritize employee well-being through a bid for:

• mental health resources,

• a good working environment,

• and encouraging them to take breaks.

Employees are likelier to engage and commit when showing that you care about their well-being.

9. Resistance to change

'Change' at times is scary for many of us. When fear of the unknown sets in, innovation suffers, and new ideas struggle to take hold.

In the workplace, resistance from employees also creates an atmosphere where progress takes a back step because of a fear of the unknown.

Organizations should cultivate an accepting attitude towards change and involve their employees while outlining the benefits.

This perspective will allow change to be perceived as an opportunity rather than a threat. They will feel supported in their efforts toward change and thus become creatively active.

Listen to our podcast: Empowering Employees for Change Acceptance

10. Disconnected values

When company values do not align with employees' beliefs, disengagement follows.

Employees prefer to work for organizations that reflect their values and principles. Deterioration of trust occurs when employees perceive that the organizational actions do not match stated values.

The organization should frequently communicate its values to match its employees' beliefs. Their common purpose enhances engagement and loyalty.

11. Lack of employee surveys

A lack of employee surveys is bound to alienate employees because they feel their voice isn't being heard.

And being dismissive about feedback only breeds frustration and disengagement.

Organizations should regularly pave the path for collating and acting upon team feedback. Employees feel bonded and engaged in the organization when they see their opinions considered and taken seriously.

12. Minimal employee perks

Image courtesy: Vantage Perks

A lack of perks or minimal benefits is a sure way to make employees want to leave. Lack of incentive, after all, means low motivation and commitment.

Organizations must offer meaningful employee benefits/perks that help them enjoy life to the fullest.

Here are some ideas for great perks:

• Flexible work arrangements

• Wellness programs

• Corporate discounts

• Exclusive gift cards

• Tickets to their favorite concerts

• Fun team-building events

13. Poor work-life balance

An overwhelming workload or rigid hours can turn a job into a source of stress.

Employees under such circumstances suffer fatigue and disengagement.

The organization must enhance a healthy work-life balance through flexible time schedules and encouraging employees to take breaks.

More specifically, employees can be engaged, productive, and satisfied with their jobs when they perceive their efforts to manage their work time have been genuinely appreciated.

Conclusion: Implement Platforms that Help Solve these Barriers

Platforms that deal with the barriers to employee engagement are seemingly vital for creating a highly engaged and productive workforce. These platforms communicate with employees, offer attention and support on their achievements, and thus improve the morale of the employees.

If you’re looking for resources to enhance your employee engagement efforts, Vantage Circle can be very helpful. Our online platform offers a variety of programs, including rewards, recognition, perks, feedback, and wellness initiatives, all tailored for today’s global workforce. With Vantage Circle, organizations can create a strong framework that boosts engagement and strengthens the connection between employees and the company, leading to a more vibrant and productive workplace.

This article is written by Susmita Sarma, a seasoned Digital Marketer at Vantage Circle. Esteemed for cultivating recognition and empathy-centric cultures, Susmita also hosts the Vantage Influencers Podcast, where she engages with global HR leaders to uncover critical industry insights. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com