The CTV MedNews Express blog welcomes our latest guest blogger, Dr. Katy Kamkar.

Kamkar is a Clinical Psychologist at the Work, Stress and Health Program and the Psychological Trauma Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. She also provides private practice at the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Associates of Toronto.

Kamkar has offered to write blog articles on various mental health issues and on the latest studies in respected scientific journals relating to her line of work and study. 

Welcome Dr. Kamkar!

Are we forgetting the importance of Employee Engagement in the workplace?

Do you feel engaged in your work? Only 29% of employees are actively engaged in their jobs, according to the 2008 Employee Engagement Report.

This low percentage is upsetting, as plenty of studies have shown that when employees are highly engaged, they are more productive, more profitable, they want more training to increase their learning skills, and they want to advance in their career and seek promotion.

Employee engagement is the concept of bringing our “true self” into our work performances. Employees who are highly engaged feel enthusiastic about their work and are fully involved in their work. They also feel happier, feel a strong emotional bond to the organization, and are less likely to quit their jobs.

The current economic situation has meant job insecurity, fear of layoffs, and staff cutbacks. The demands of work have increased, with more pressure on employees to do more but with fewer resources.

When the job demands are too high, it likely results in burnout, emotional exhaustion, disengagement and psychological and physical health consequences. This is particularly true when we don’t have enough resources and don’t perceive ourselves as being able to cope with the job demands.

In addition to the majority of employees feeling disengaged, those who are highly engaged may also lose their commitment to the organization. As Thomas Britt, an industrial-organizational psychology professor at Clemson University, says: “When the economy is experiencing a general downturn, it may be unlikely that engaged employees low in organizational commitment can find another position. But if they do have the opportunity to change jobs, they will.”

The research conducted by Prof. Britt finds that employees are more engaged when provided with clear guidelines for job performance. He says their level of engagement reduces when the resources that are needed are not available.

“The loss of engagement could also be a marker of stress or mental health related disorders” according to Dr. Ash Bender, Clinic Head of the Work, Stress and Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where I work.

“What employers also need to be mindful of is the risk of developing further health related work impairment due to emerging stress related disorders such as depressive disorders and anxiety disorders,” says Dr. Bender.

The current economic situation has brought uncertainty. And with uncertainty comes fear and anxiety. Everyone feels more stressed in the workplace and at home.

I have seen many highly engaged employees become less committed to their organization because of stress, decreased resources and uncertainty. With time, their level of engagement had diminished as well.

As part of increasing employee engagement, we need to increase job resources to prevent burnout and to focus more on building a healthy work environment. When employees feel worthwhile and valued in the workplace and are recognized for their good performance, they are more engaged and more committed to their organization.

Employees also need to have a sense of safety in the workplace, whereby their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, they are provided with regular feedback, and they have healthy, trusting and caring relationships.

We need to focus more on employees’ health and well-being, which are the two key ingredients, among many others, that make a person feel more satisfied and happy at work, less stressed and anxious, more engaged, and definitely more committed and less likely to quit work.