US engagement levels slump

Recent rises in the proportion of workers declaring themselves to be ‘engaged’ at work have gone into reverse according to latest research from Gallup. Data it has just released finds employee engagement in the U.S. saw its first annual decline in a decade – dropping from 36% of employees being engaged in 2020 to 34% in 2021. Moreover, this trend has continued into the early part of 2022 too, falling to 32%. At the same time, some 17% of employees are ‘actively disengaged’ – an increase of one percentage point compared to 2021. The engagement elements that declined the most from 2021 to 2022 were employees’ level of agreement that they have clear expectations; that they have the right materials and equipment; and that they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day. There were also falls around feeling connected to the mission or purpose of their organization. Gallup also found an eight-point decline in the percentage of employees who are extremely satisfied with their organization as a place to work. Interestingly, staff working exclusively remote or hybrid had higher levels of engagement (37% engaged in both groups) than those who work exclusively on-site (29% engaged).