By Mark Vickers, Ph.D.

A recent Gallup Poll discovered that 70% of U.S. workers were disengaged with their jobs…

Meaning, each person in some way didn’t want to be at his or her job, felt they were a poor fit for their role, or were not committed to the success of their employer. These are staggering figures and a telling sign that many factors are leading to the unproductive disenchantment of the American worker.

As a consultant for small and medium size businesses, I have found that four factors are often responsible for creating disengaged workers: stress, unhappiness, poor self image, and lack of meaningful relationships in and outside of work.

Stress is particularly pervasive in our culture. Some argue that we are more stressed because work can go mobile now and we never disconnect from the office. Others say that stress is the result of a poor job market which creates a need to stay in your position at all costs. Likely, there are many factors that lead to our daily stress, but what is most significant is that few people recognize how their stress impacts the people around them or their own health.

This blog series will focus on the four factors leading to disengagement and provide some suggestions for moving from positions of disharmony to fulfillment at work.