any organizations assume their employees are engaged. Even when workplace morale seems high, recent research shows that engagement remains a challenge that requires active management.
According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report, global employee engagement fell from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, a decline comparable to the drop during the COVID-19 lockdown year. Additionally, only 27% of managers worldwide reported being engaged at work, a concern given their strong influence on team engagement and performance.
Meanwhile, employee survey tool company People Element's 2025 Employee Engagement Report highlights the workplace conditions that most strongly influence engagement. The research identifies leadership effectiveness, workplace flexibility and opportunities for professional growth as key drivers of employee commitment. It also notes that employees who feel recognized for their contributions tend to report higher engagement, reinforcing the importance of meaningful recognition and support.
These findings underscore a simple truth: Employee engagement doesn't sustain itself. Organizations need intentional strategies to understand what motivates their workforce.
Start by conducting regular, anonymous surveys that combine rating-scale questions with brief open-ended responses. Questions tied to an Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) can help track engagement trends over time.
Pair surveys with one-on-one check-ins focused specifically on engagement, separate from performance reviews. Monitoring metrics such as turnover, absenteeism and productivity can also help identify issues early.
With the right data, employers can design targeted strategies that strengthen engagement. We can help you identify and assess the costs of managing employee performance. Contact us.