More Workers Playing Hooky

That is the title of the short article in the Indianapolis Star's Business Section this morning. It is a story from the Associated Press that cites a survey conducted for CCH by the Harris Interactive consulting firm. The results?

Unscheduled absenteeism is at its highest point since 1999. The rate is 2.5%.

2.5 % of people won't be at work tomorrow, even if they said they would be when they leave work today.

If you are thinking that people can get sick and that is most of the reason for these absences, according to the survey you would only be right 35% of the time. Personal needs (18%), stress (12%) and the "entitlement mentality" (11%) are some of the other major reasons cited for unscheduled absence.

As I read this short piece all I could think about was the conversation I had with a potential Client yesterday. I was called to come and talk about improving or increasing the engagement of the staff.

Engagement.

People who are engaged in their work, who are passionate and truly care about their work don't take days off for inconsequential things and they certainly don't do it because they feel entitled to the time off.

Some people will read these statistics and think about how people taking unscheduled time off hurts their staffing levels and their ability to provide good Customer Service. They will be right.

Some people will look at the overall labor market and see that as jobs get easier to come by, people are more willing to take the extra time off. I'm guessing in some parts of the country this might be a contributing factor.

Some people will read these statistics and blame it on the younger workers, thinking, "They just don't care like people used to." I don't personally think this is true, but it is a valid perspective.

In the end though I don't think about any of those things. I think about opportunity.

As leaders we have an opportunity to engage our people more fully in their work. When we do they will become more productive, achieve more, and enjoy their work more. They will also come to work when they are scheduled to be there. They'll take Cal Ripken - baseball's all time consecutive games played record holder - as their role model, rather than Ferris Bueller.

We can engage others more fully in their work. When we do those things we are benefiting our business, but we are also benefiting the individual greatly. They will be happier and healthier, and they will choose to come to work because their work is contributing in positive ways to their life.

If you aren't a leader, you can still choose to be engaged or find new work that does engage you.

How engaged are you?

What could you do to become more personally engaged in your work?

The percentages in this survey in 2007 may go down. I hope that if they do the reason is because leaders around the country have taken the challenge to engage people more fully in their work.

A Lesson at the Deli Counter

I overheard a conversation between two employees at the deli counter at my local grocery store recently. The younger of the two women was talking about how people can't be trusted any more. "It's not like it used to be," she said (though she seemed hardly over 25), "People will say or do anything - you can't trust anyone."

"That's why I have just a small circle of friends, and beyond that, I'd just as soon be a hermit."

Her older colleague, listened carefully, then tried to end the conversation by saying, "That may be true, but that isn't going to stop me from talking to people."

I've had a hard time getting this conversation out of my mind.

The belief that "people can't be trusted anymore" is altering woman #1's life. It will impact her ability to be successful at work, build satisfying relationships, and navigate life easily. Her statement about being a hermit shows the depth of her belief.

It isn't my goal in this short post to convince you that her belief is incorrect, but rather to have you reflect on the power our beliefs have on our performance and results.

What beliefs are aiding or hindering your personal and professional progress? Have you consciously chose those beliefs or are they operating as filters in your life without adequate examination?

These are questions worth considering.

No one can do this for you, you must consider them yourself.