Uncomfortably Numb

Although US employee engagement levels increased by 5 percent between 2000 and 2024, the current data point (31 percent) is the lowest percentage in the past decade. A 2025 Gallup survey of 79,000 workers found that engagement peaked in 2020 (36 percent) and has steadily declined ever since. In addition, respondents report being actively disengaged at a rate of 17 percent, compared with 16 percent in 2023. McKinsey & Company research in 2024 describes disengaged employees as "neither satisfied nor disruptive in a way that harms the organization."

Gallup's survey notes significant declines in one-third of organizations' engagement elements. Gallup defines significant declines as decreasing by at least three points in "strongly agree" ratings from previous years.

"Employee engagement trends matter for organizational leaders because declines signal potential vulnerabilities for businesses," the Gallup report states.

The downturn in engagement is indicative of employee detachment. In 2024, Gallup found that, while one in five employees were extremely satisfied with their jobs, more than half of respondents were either watching for or actively seeking a new job. Reasons for detachment include rapid organizational change, hybrid and remote issues, and new customer expectations.

For example, in 2020, 56 percent of employees had clarity of expectations, but that number dropped to 46 percent in 2024. The percentage of individuals who believe that someone at work cares about them as a person decreased from 47 percent in 2020 to 39 percent in 2024. And only 30 percent of employees strongly agree that someone at work encourages their continued development; that number was 36 percent in 2020.

The decrease in engagement has primarily affected young workers. Gen Z workers are five points less engaged at work than in 2023.

The report concludes that organizational leaders can reverse the trend by defining workplace culture, clarifying their company's purpose, and prioritizing identifying and selecting managers who can engage and inspire employees.