It’s powerful, and it can sweep through the office like wildfire: employee disengagement! (This simply means, an employee who is dissatisfied with work and not performing at their best.) What could be causing this dissatisfaction? It could be, “It’s not you, it’s me”: your employee is suffering from personal problems, burnout, or lack of fulfillment. But it could also be you: bad managers, overwhelming workload, or toxic company culture.

What are some warning signs of a disengaged employee?

1. Burnout. If your employee is suffering under a punishing workload—long hours, overwhelmingly busy, always seems to say yes—watch out. The candle can only burn at both ends for so long. It’s not possible to sustain a crushing workload, and it will begin to show when an employee seems exhausted, starts making mistakes, or starts pulling back.
2. Silence. It’s a red flag when a once vocal employee suddenly clams up, especially if the employee seems distanced in other areas of the business.
3. Late arrivals, early departures, and long breaks. Didn’t Jack leave for lunch two hours ago? Is that Sally on the phone in the parking lot? An employee who starts skimping on time at the desk is likely disengaging. This employee wants to spend as little time at work as possible, and may be actively finding ways to disconnect. This also goes for employees who are at their desks but may be shopping online or researching their next vacation.
4. Missed deadlines. Consistently missed deadlines can mean a few things: an employee with an overwhelming workload, an employee who needs help with time management, or an employee who is OK with mediocrity. This is especially true of an employee who was always spot-on before.
5. Resistant to change. Why put in effort to change when it doesn’t matter? An employee who is disengaged won’t care about that new training or that updated reporting system. This employee may complain, skirt the changes, or flat out refuse to be on board.
6. Rude, avoidant, or bad-mouthing. Stress or unhappiness can bring out unusual social behavior. Employees who demonstrate sustained rudeness, curtness, or avoidance are probably feeling unhappy. This is especially true of employees who suddenly disengage, and who were previously cheerful or personable.

Of course, it’s one thing to recognize a disengaged employee, but it’s quite another to do something about it. The first step is to talk to the employee—share what you’ve noticed and ask what’s up. And keep an open, nonjudgmental mind! You don’t know what’s going on (and remember, your company may be part of the problem). The employee might open up about their personal struggles, or share some professional problems such as a difficult coworker or a heavy workload. Once you know what’s going on, work with the employee toward a solution. Set goals and take steps to try to ease the employee’s burden and get them back on the track to happy engagement.