interest [in-ter-ist]
a psychological state which encourages us to engage
$550 Billion
LOSS TO U.S. COMPANIES CAUSED BY ACTIVELY DISENGAGED EMPLOYEES
OF U.S. WORKERS ARE NOT REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
Interest drives us to grow and diversify our experiences. Interest helps us focus. When we’re interested, we are motivated to overcome difficulties. Interest leads to grit.
At H2T Digital Co., we believe that interest is equally as important as skills when it comes to workforce preparedness.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said regarding his own educational journey, “The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.” This begs the question: if he had stayed in classes that did not interest him, would the company known as Apple exist today? Of course, no-one can say for sure. However, per the current research on interest, if he had continued on that course, it is possible that his interest may have been suffocated by a predetermined instructional path-potentially accelerating disengagement.
The cost of disengagement is high-and rising.
According to Gallup’s State of the American Workforce report, actively disengaged employees cause U.S. companies to lose between $450-$550 billion in productivity per year. In addition, an actively disengaged employee can cost their organization an additional 34 percent above their salary. With the vast majority of U.S. workers (70%) not reaching their full potential, significant implications for the economy and individual performance of American companies may follow. When employees are engaged and thriving in their overall lives, they are more likely to maintain strong work performance_even during difficult times.