Research: 2023 Gallup report shows decline in employee engagement
According to a recent report from Gallup, only 32% of full and part-time employees working for organizations report feeling engaged, while 18% report as actively disengaged.
This is part of a pattern since employee engagement in the U.S. saw its first annual decline in a decade: decreasing from 36% of employees feeling engaged in their work in 2020 to 34% in 2021. Active disengagement increased by 2% from 2021 and 4% from 2020.
The research points out that the decline began in late 2021 with the following engagement elements dropping the most percentage points:
- clarity of expectations
- connection to the mission or purpose of the company
- opportunities to learn and grow
- opportunities to do what employees do best
- feeling cared about at work
A focus on culture and values dramatically changes the picture
Gallup says the good news is while only 32% of U.S. employees overall were engaged in 2022, there are organizations that have more than doubled this percentage. Gallup’s 2022 Exceptional Workplace Award winners averaged 70% employee engagement even during highly disruptive times.
How did they do it? They maintained this level of engagement by weaving their organizational culture and values into business decisions, embracing flexible work schedules while maintaining strong connections between inclusive managers and employees, and keeping employee mental health at the center of how work gets done. Most importantly, Gallup says they equipped their managers with the skills and tools to have ongoing meaningful conversations with employees.
"The role of the manager has never been more important."
Work arrangements are beginning to settle
Overall, Gallup’s data indicates that organizations are just now beginning to settle into their “new normal” of the hybrid work setting. For example, only 21% of employees reported to be working fully on-site, while 53% of employees have some form of a hybrid work arrangement, and 26% are fully remote.
The fact that these new working arrangements are stabilizing in a more permanent way means that organizations are able to predict the future of their work setting through a more educated lens—and hopefully, raise the bar on the need for a human-centric culture.
