The current eight-year-low unemployment rate is making it harder for employers to access talented staff, therefore maintaining talent is vital. Disengagement lies at the heart of voluntary staff turnover and the ability to pick up on this before people walk can be crucial.
Walker says there are many indications that staff are switching off. He believes that managers with high levels of emotional intelligence will be able to spot who is unhappy and intervene early.
"We look for a cluster of behaviours that indicate a staff member is switching off from their work," says Walker.
These include loss of interest in projects staff used to be excited about, an increase in sick days, and reduction in quality output.
Once it's been established that a staff member is feeling disengaged from their role it's important that they are taken aside and given the opportunity to explain what is happening for them.
Walker says that managers should listen without interrupting.
"Managers need to listen to what their staff are saying. From this point, they can work together to work out if there are any steps that can be taken to remediate the situation."
Alan Pettersen from recruitment company Positive People says that in order to identify dissatisfaction early, there has to be solid communication channels and processes in place within a company.
"An open, solution-focused workplace allows for direct conversations to be had where team members are free to say what they feel without retribution," he says.
He says that regular one-on-one meetings help to identify early signs of dissatisfaction and allow for appropriate interventions to be implemented.
"Only when employers know what the problem is can they fix it, so having open, respected and functioning communication conduits is an essential prerequisite for overcoming any dissatisfaction that may exist."
Pettersen says creating a work environment that keeps top performers engaged and committed to their jobs and the organisation is a key senior management responsibility.
"It is all about keeping the people in the organisation motivated so that they truly want to work for the organisation and they want to perform at top levels in their roles.
"This requires employers to apply a strategic approach that runs across the organisation, as well as ensuring a personal and specific focus on the individual needs of each team member," he says.
At a fundamental level, employees need to have the sense that they are being fairly paid for their efforts. Once this bottom line is established, employers can focus on ensuring the workplace is a positive, caring and supportive one.
"Employers need to concentrate on developing an environment in which individual aspirations and needs are catered for via appropriate learning, development and career options," says Pettersen.
He says embedding a culture that prioritises quality relationships across all levels creates an environment where any dissonance or conflict has to be dealt with.
"Consequently the organisation is better for it as open communication becomes the order of the day."
