The Gallup 2024 Employee Engagement Report Explained

Worldwide, only 30% of managers and 23% of rank-and-file workers describe themselves as highly engaged at work.

Loneliness and uncertainty

Gallup recently released The State of the Global Workplace Report 2024. A whopping 62% of the employees are disengaged. Disengagement is driven by loneliness and uncertainty - two big emotions employees feel at work regularly. The result is lower job performance and job satisfaction. Loneliness increases our chances of burnout.

1. Hybrid work is convenient but isolating. Spending the full day in front of the screen going from one meeting to the other is exhausting. It may be convenient and efficient, but it makes people lonely. Gallup also finds that 20% of the world’s employees experienced a lot of loneliness the previous day. Social isolation and chronic loneliness have a devastating effect on physical and mental health. Ironically, people who are not working are even lonelier than people who are working. (read more)

2. Harder to trust others without some social interactions: Most people find it easier to trust people after an in-person interaction than in virtual settings. As one people manager had told me, "You never know if someone is recording the conversation at the other end." There is low trust and psychological safety that is so essential to feel connected to the workplace. 25% of fully remote employees report feeling lonely, compared to 16% of on-site workers, says the Gallup report.

It is harder to trust people you have only engaged with online.

Upskill for the new workplace norms

Employers are being forced to recalculate their workforce requirements based on a drop in demand, fears of recession and geo-political uncertainty. And the all-pervasive chatter about AI. “AI is redefining work and it’s clear we need new playbooks,” said Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn. “It’s the leaders who build for agility instead of stability and invest in skill building internally that will give their organizations a competitive advantage and create more efficient, engaged and equitable teams.” Here is what some of my clients are doing

I am blown away by the skill of the street artists. Aren’t these images stunning?

1. Investing disproportionately in upskilling Managers: Highly engaged managers can significantly boost the engagement of their direct reports. Investing in management training and development can have a ripple effect, improving overall team engagement and performance. Poor leadership that fails to provide clear guidance, feedback, and recognition can lead to disengagement. When employees don't receive the recognition, they deserve or don't see a path for growth, their motivation wanes.

2. Stress Levels: 41% of employees report experiencing a lot of stress at work, with poorly managed environments increasing stress by 60% compared to well-managed ones. People have a propensity to simulate negative outcomes when faced with uncertainty, leading to negative emotional responses. The news about a bad job market makes people continue in a job they hate because having a bad job is better than the uncertainty of job hunting in weak markets.

Employees who see no opportunity for advancement or professional development are likely to feel stuck in their roles. This lack of progression can lead to frustration and a decline in motivation. When employees' skills and talents are not utilized effectively or when they are placed in roles that don't fit their capabilities, they can become disengaged. Feeling under-challenged or overwhelmed can lead to a lack of engagement.