Recent studies show that about 39% of employees surveyed feel unengaged in their workplace.

Interestingly, 86% of executives and employees asked blame the lack of communication and collaboration for workplace failures. These kinds of numbers should get any business owner or manager thinking about how they can better engage their employees.

The prime benefits of engagement is that the ability to share knowledge, time, trust, and responsibility leads to employee loyalty, satisfaction, more innovation, and higher productivity.

If employees are really a firm's top asset, then attention to their growth, needs, and support should be a priority.

By the Numbers

•Companies, on average, achieve 147% higher earnings per share, when they increase their numbers of engaged employees and hire gifted managers (Gallup).

•Most organizations lose 20-50% of their employee base each year (Bain & Company).

•$11 billion is lost annually as a result of employee turnover (Bloomberg BNA).

•34.1% of American workers are engaged (Gallup).

•49.5% of employees are "not engaged", while 16.5% are "actively disengaged" (Gallup).

•60% of corporate leaders or HR staff believe that their firms provide employees with a clear career path. However, only 36% of employees agree (Saba Software).

•When managers ignore their employees, engagement plunges to 2%, compared with 61% for teams headed by managers who focus on people's strengths (Gallup).

•Engaged employees are 19% more likely to volunteer their time (Gallup).

•Actively disengaged workers are almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with depression in comparison with engaged workers (Gallup).

Clearly, there is a direct correlation between employee engagement, employee satisfaction, and the bottom line profits of an organization. By looking at these statistics, there is also a distinct disconnect between what management thinks they are doing to help their employees, and how the employees see themselves being guided.

Only 36% of the employees surveyed feel that their managers are helping them on career development, and fostering growth within the workplace.

While it is crucial at the organizational level, engagement begins with individual attention at direct supervisory level. Personalities are important since employees don't leave their attitudes at the door when they come to work.

Feeling respected as individuals at work can have a profound impact on how employees view their overall lives, as well as how their performance lends to the success of the organization.

The leaders within the organization should recognize that their employees' potential means recognizing how each individual's unique set of skills, beliefs, goals, and life experiences contribute to their performance, health, and personal success.

How managers lead their employees directly affects engagement and productivity. Here are five ways organizations can nurture a workplace of fully engaged employees.

Aim Small, Miss Small

Engagement must begin with managers taking time to engage individuals. When each employee receives personal attention, knows their performance expectations, and can see where they contribute to the organization as a whole, those employees feel empowered and trusted.

Managers and employees alike should feel empowered to make a significant difference in their direct environment.

Hire Right

Great managers empower and engage their employees naturally. They recognize each person's strengths, value their contributions, and seek their thoughts and ideas.

Whether promoting from within, or hiring from the outside, managers should be selected based on unique talents of effectively managing people, not tasks. Help managers to efficiently manage and streamline employee activities with HR software.

Likewise, employees should be hired for personality and attitude. Skills can be taught, but if someone has a bad attitude, they may not fit when measured against the firm's values and culture.

Purpose

One complaint of employees recently is that their company doesn't align with any purpose. With millenials flooding the workplace these days, they are begging for companies to serve more of a purpose than simply making money.

Instead of focusing solely on what you do, try shifting more focus over to why you do it.

Transparency

Place more trust and responsibility into the hands of your people. Keep them in the loop with current "insider" information. Be transparent, and you will build more trust among those who follow you.

Bringing them into your "circle of trust" raises the bar on employee engagement.

Work-Life Balance

Keeping in balance an employee's work and life outside of work may seem a daunting task sometimes, but it is vital to the well-being of your team. Employees are prizing the freedom to enjoy life to the fullest, while still completing their work more than ever.

If employees are an organization's best asset, executives, managers, and business owners should make engaging and guiding them a top priority.

Firms have a priceless opportunity to create work experiences for their employees that are motivating and fulfilling. By engaging your employees, you allow your workers to bring their best to work each day.