“They should just f#@$ing do their work.”
“I pay them a salary so they should just f#@$ing do their work.”
I heard a leader say this and it shocked me. Surely work should mean more than just a pay check.
It was in the first year after I launched my tech-powered digital agency. I was talking to a fellow agency head about why some staff were “all in” while others felt like passengers. Something about his purely transactional view of leadership didn’t sit right with me, but I was too busy building my business to think much more about it.
Over time, though, the comment stuck. And years later, I still hear versions of it from leaders who are frustrated by what they see as a lack of commitment. They pay a good salary, run an annual performance review, throw a Christmas party… so why aren’t employees as invested as they are?
Here’s the thing:
Gallup’s research shows only 21% of employees globally are engaged.
In best-practice organisations that figure rises to 70%.
And those high-engagement companies enjoy:
81% lower absenteeism
43% lower turnover
23% higher profitability
18% higher productivity
The gap is huge. And the business case is undeniable.
So what actually drives engagement, beyond pay checks and a Christmas turkey? Here are 7 things I’ve seen really make the difference in the businesses I have run:
A bigger “why” - people want to know their work counts for something, not just the bottom line.
Clear direction - no guessing games; they know what’s expected and where they’re headed.
Playing to strengths - everyone gets the chance to do what they’re naturally good at.
Room to grow - learning, stretch projects, and chances to take on more.
Being valued - regular thanks, feedback, and recognition that feels real.
Having a voice - their ideas and opinions actually matter and get heard.
Leaders they trust - bosses who are consistent, human, and lead by example.
If I could go back to that leader from my early days, I’d tell him three things:
1. Mind your p’s and q’s :-)
2. Building engagement isn’t “soft” leadership. It’s one of the smartest business moves you can make.
3. If you’re going to spend 60% of your waking hours at work, why not make sure you’re surrounded by colleagues who are just as engaged as you are? It makes the business stronger and it makes the day-to-day so much more enjoyable for everyone.
Because engaged employees don’t just benefit the business, they make work worth doing.