Employee Engagement Remains a Nationwide Concern

As an employer, have you noticed it’s been harder to keep employees motivated, focused or fully invested in their work? If so, you’re not alone. A recent Gallup survey found that U.S. employee engagement has yet to recover from a notable decline in the last few years. Even more concerning, the drop has been most pronounced among younger workers.

Survey says

In late January, Gallup published an article on its website detailing the results of its latest employee engagement survey. The data showed that, on average, only 31% of U.S. employees were actively engaged at work in 2025. That figure was unchanged from 2024. However, it’s well below the 36% engagement rate recorded in 2020, which was the culmination of a decade of steady gains.

Although a five-point drop may not seem like a big deal, Gallup estimates that this represents approximately eight million fewer engaged employees nationwide. And the decline has been especially noticeable among younger workers — specifically, Generation Z (typically defined as people born from 1997 through 2012) and younger millennials (generally, those born around 1990 to 1996).

Start with clarity

Among the most concerning findings of the Gallup survey is that employees increasingly feel uncertain about what’s expected of them. In many industries, job responsibilities can shift quickly in response to staffing changes and evolving technology. And this is causing considerable stress for workers.

You may occasionally need to ask team members to take on additional duties without much advance notice or formal training. Yet clear expectations are the basis for job stability and, in turn, engagement. Strive to help employees understand:

• What success looks like in their respective roles,
• Which objectives should take priority, and
• How you’ll evaluate their performance.

Communication on these topics should be consistently worded and applied from the C-suite on down.

Strengthen supervisors’ skills

Another important point raised by the Gallup survey is that many employees, particularly younger ones, lack a sense that anyone at work genuinely cares about them. This is where your supervisors play a frontline role.

Unfortunately, in many small and midsize organizations, employees are often promoted to supervisory roles because they excel technically — not because they’ve received formal leadership training. As a result, communication and recognition may unintentionally take a back seat to task completion.

Be sure to support your supervisors with robust initial training and ongoing upskilling. They should provide their teams with consistent feedback, acknowledge strong performances and show genuine interest in each employee’s distinctive challenges. Generally, many younger employees tend to expect more frequent feedback and guidance. So, this could become a more pressing issue in the years ahead.

Offer learning and growth

The Gallup survey also found a decline in employees’ sense of learning and growth. Often, once workers are trained, they have little to no opportunity to learn new skills or grow professionally unless they pursue management roles. And those may be few and far between at smaller organizations. The result: Engagement can fade quickly.

Remember, “growth” doesn’t necessarily have to be synonymous with “promotion.” To the extent feasible, give employees opportunities to grow within their roles. This can mean gradually assuming more responsibilities, undergoing cross-training, taking on project leadership or participating in strategic planning. When employees see a path to more interesting, varied job duties, they’re more likely to stay engaged.

Seize the opportunity

Employee engagement influences productivity, retention, hiring costs and overall financial performance. So, the national trends raised by the Gallup survey represent valid concerns for employers. But they offer an exciting opportunity, too. By responding thoughtfully and proactively, your organization can strengthen its culture and differentiate itself from competitors who may be slower to respond. We’d be happy to help you evaluate engagement strategies from a cost-benefit perspective to ensure they align with your budget and strategic objectives.

© 2026