As organisations navigate a post-pandemic world shaped by hybrid work, shifting expectations, and economic uncertainty, Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report offers a clear snapshot of what's happening right now. The data, drawn from surveys of thousands of employees worldwide, delivers a blunt message to leaders: engagement is stagnating, stress is rising, and managers are the key to turning things around.

Here's our take on the highlights and what they mean for businesses, leaders, and employees.

Stagnant or declining engagement

Only 23% of global employees are engaged in their work. While this marks a slight increase globally, engagement in some regions — such as the U.S. and Canada — has declined for the second year running. In the United States, only 33% of employees are engaged, down from a peak of 36% in 2020.

Engagement isn't a feel-good metric. It correlates strongly with productivity, profitability, absenteeism, and retention. Stagnant engagement points to a deeper disconnection between workers and their companies, particularly since the pandemic reshaped work dynamics and expectations.

So what: Leaders need to accept that what worked pre-pandemic may no longer cut it. A renewed focus on purpose, communication, and growth is essential. Feeling connected to your strengths or talents helps people understand which missions align with their preferences, how they like to be communicated with, and what type of leadership sustains their focus. Imagine a whole team showing up with that awareness.

Stress at record highs

Perhaps more concerning is the continued rise in stress. 44% of employees worldwide report experiencing a lot of stress the previous day — the highest level Gallup has ever recorded. Stress levels have remained alarmingly high since the onset of COVID and aren't going down.

So what: We're in a wellbeing crisis. Chronic stress impairs health, undermines engagement, and drags down performance. Organisations need cultures that prioritise psychological safety, manageable workloads, and healthy boundaries. In our StrengthsTrail Program, we link participants' strengths to Gallup's Wellbeing at Work and Burnout intervention guide as one route to improving their stress response.

The Manager's Role

Managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement. At a time of massive change, the quality of management matters more than ever. Employees want clarity, support, and growth opportunities — and they look to their managers for all three. Yet many managers are burned out themselves, squeezed between leadership expectations and team needs, often without the training or support to handle both.

So what: Organisations need to invest in developing managers — not just technically, but in emotional intelligence, coaching skill, and communication. Great managers multiply engagement; poor ones drive attrition. A practical starting point is managers who understand their own strengths, which helps them recognise and leverage the individual and collective strengths of their teams.

Quiet quitting is a symptom, not a trend

"Quiet quitting" describes employees who are disengaged and psychologically detached from their work. Globally, nearly 6 in 10 employees fall into this category. There's no need to treat it as a TikTok trend — it's a decades-long pattern tied to poor management and unclear expectations.

So what: Quiet quitting isn't new. It stems from failing to meet core engagement needs: feeling cared for, having development opportunities, and understanding how your work contributes to a larger why. Fixing it needs a culture shift, not a crackdown. StrengthsTrail participants consistently report, upon completing the Program, that they feel clearer on their purpose and what genuinely engages them.

Hybrid work needs better communication and culture

Hybrid work is now a permanent feature in many industries. Employees prefer flexibility, but it needs to be done well. Remote-capable workers with flexible arrangements report higher engagement than those who are fully on-site, if communication and expectations are clear.

So what: Leaders need to be intentional about leading a hybrid workplace. Regular check-ins, clear goals, and opportunities for collaboration matter more than ever. Culture doesn't happen by accident — it must be designed and reinforced across both digital and physical spaces. That includes having the right technology tools to connect and engage, not just in meetings but in casual chats and check-ins too.

Wellbeing is a business imperative

Gallup's report ties employee wellbeing to organisational outcomes. When team members thrive in both their personal and professional lives, they're more productive, engaged, and resilient. Only 24% of employees say their organisation cares about their wellbeing — a number that has declined over the past three years.

So what: Wellbeing isn't about offering yoga or mental health days. It means building a culture of empathy, flexibility, and real support — and measuring it the way you measure performance. One meaningful way to show commitment is offering training and development that's just for the person, improving them personally as well as professionally.

What can you do?

Gallup's research is a wake-up call. The answer isn't another perk or policy — it's a recommitment to people-centred leadership. Three takeaways:

  1. Prioritise manager development. Equip managers with coaching skills, emotional intelligence, and the tools to lead hybrid teams well.
  2. Measure engagement and wellbeing continuously. Don't wait for annual surveys. Pulse surveys and regular check-ins track sentiment as it shifts.
  3. Rebuild culture with purpose. Help people connect their work to something bigger, and involve them in shaping the workplace they want.

The world of work keeps changing, but the fundamentals don't: people want to be seen, heard, and supported. Gallup's data confirms that organisations which get this right will be the ones that thrive. If you're keen to integrate strengths training or coaching into your people plans in the next financial year, please get in touch with us at StrengthsTrail.