US Employee Engagement Holds at 31%, a Ten-Year Low

US employee engagement held at 31% in 2025, matching 2024 and a ten-year low. See what Gallup says about expectations and care at work.

By Cosby Khosa · Published 22 October 2026

US Employee Engagement Holds at 31%, a Ten-Year Low

Key takeaways

US active engagement held at 31% in 2025, matching 2024 and a ten-year low.
That is about 8 million fewer engaged workers than in 2020.
The youngest workers fell the most.
The largest item-level declines since 2020 are clarity of expectations (nine points) and feeling cared about (eight points).

US employee engagement held at 31% in 2025, matching 2024 and marking a ten-year low, according to a Gallup research article published around August 2026. That is about 8 million fewer engaged workers than in 2020, when the series peaked.

The article adds two details that point to causes. The youngest workers saw the biggest fall. And the largest item-level declines since 2020 are in clarity of expectations, down nine points, and in feeling cared about, down eight points. Both are things that managers and organisations can influence.

This article explains the numbers, why those two items matter, and how employers and employees can respond. The summary is based on a search extract of the Gallup article, so it keeps to the facts that extract gave. The date is approximate, since it was inferred from the age label in the search listing.

What the US employee engagement figures show

The key fact is that US employee engagement held at 31% in 2025. Gallup calls this active engagement, meaning employees who are involved in and enthusiastic about their work. The figure was the same in 2024, so it did not fall further, but it did not recover either.

Gallup describes 31% as a ten-year low. In other words, nothing lower has been recorded in the past decade. The peak came in 2020, and engagement has slid since. The gap between the peak and today is about 8 million workers.

Those 8 million are people who, in 2020, would have said they were engaged and who, today, would not. They may be disengaged or actively disengaged. Gallup’s global report notes that the actively disengaged are especially costly, since they can spread negativity.

A flat reading is a mixed message. On one hand, the decline has paused. On the other, the level is still very low compared with the past. Leaders should not read the flat line as a sign of recovery. It is more like a plateau at the bottom of a hill.

It also helps to compare with the global picture. Global engagement fell to 20% in 2025. US employee engagement is higher, but the direction is similar.

Why 8 million fewer engaged workers matters

Eight million is a large number. It is roughly the population of a major city. When that many people shift from engaged to not engaged, the effect on the economy is real.

Engaged employees tend to be more productive, to take fewer sick days, to stay longer and to treat customers better. Disengaged employees tend to do the minimum, to leave sooner and to make more mistakes. The difference adds up across millions of workers.

Gallup estimates, in its global report, that low engagement costs about $10 trillion in lost productivity worldwide. The US share of that is large, since the American economy is the biggest in the world.

For individual firms, the effect shows up in turnover, quality and customer satisfaction. A company with a hundred employees and an engagement rate ten points below its rivals may find that it spends more on hiring, loses more to errors and struggles to innovate.

The sensible response is to treat engagement as a business measure, not a soft extra. Track it, set goals, and link it to the way you select and develop managers. Small improvements can produce large gains when multiplied across a workforce.

Why the youngest workers fell the most

The article reports that the youngest workers saw the biggest fall in US employee engagement. That is a worrying sign for employers, since young workers are the future of the workforce.

Several possible reasons come to mind, though the extract does not name them. Many young workers started their careers during or after the pandemic, with less in-person training and mentoring. The job market is harder for them, as entry-level postings are down. They may feel less secure and less connected.

Another factor may be expectations. Young workers often arrive hoping for growth, purpose and feedback. If they find unclear tasks and little coaching, disappointment can set in quickly.

Employers can respond. Offer structured onboarding that lasts months, not days. Pair new staff with mentors. Give regular feedback, and show a clear path for growth. Make sure young workers get real responsibility and see how their work matters.

For young workers themselves, it helps to seek out support. Ask for feedback, find a mentor, and look for projects that stretch you. If your workplace does not provide these, seek them through professional groups and networks. Our look at in-demand technical skills in 2026 notes that human skills such as communication, collaboration and ownership often decide offers, so they are worth building early.

Clarity of expectations: down nine points

The biggest item-level decline since 2020 is clarity of expectations, which fell nine points. This item asks employees whether they know what is expected of them at work.

It sounds basic, and it is. If you do not know what success looks like, it is hard to feel engaged. You may work hard on the wrong things, miss what matters or worry that you are failing.

What might explain the fall? Workplaces have changed a lot since 2020. Hybrid arrangements, restructures, new tools and shifting priorities make it harder to keep expectations steady. Fewer managers may mean less time for each person.

The fix is not complicated, but it takes discipline. Managers can hold a short conversation at the start of each period to agree on priorities. They can write down goals in plain words, and update them when plans change. They can check understanding by asking the employee to explain the goal back.

Employees can help by asking. If you are unsure, say so. A simple question such as what would great work on this task look like can save hours of confusion and lift your sense of control.

Feeling cared about: down eight points

The second large decline is in feeling cared about, which fell eight points since 2020. This item asks employees whether their supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about them as a person.

Caring is not about being soft. It is about showing that you see people as more than a source of results. It might be a question about how someone is coping, a flexible arrangement during a hard week or a word of thanks after a big effort.

When people feel cared about, they tend to be more loyal and to go the extra mile. When they do not, work becomes transactional. Over time, that wears down engagement.

The fall may reflect remote and hybrid work, when informal contact has dropped, as well as heavier workloads. Managers who lead large teams may struggle to find time for real conversations.

Practical steps are easy to take. Start meetings with a short personal check-in. Learn what matters to each team member outside work. Notice when someone is struggling and offer help. For employees, small acts of care for colleagues also help, since a caring culture is built by many people.

How US employee engagement links to managers

The two largest declines in US employee engagement, clarity of expectations and feeling cared about, are both areas where managers have great influence. That connects the US data to the broader message on OneCareer.

Gallup’s research explainer says that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement, and that manager engagement has fallen nine points since 2022 to 22% globally. The global decline article says that manager engagement drove most of the global drop.

Put these pieces together. If managers are disengaged and stretched, they have less capacity to clarify expectations and show care. Employees notice, and their own engagement falls.

It is a chain reaction. Leaders who want to lift US employee engagement should look at the links in the chain, starting with the managers’ own energy and support.

For HR teams, that means investing in manager selection, training and workload. For senior leaders, it means giving managers time, trust and clear goals of their own. And for managers, it means asking for what you need, so that you can offer your team what they need in return.

What employers can do to lift US employee engagement

The data suggests a practical agenda.

Make expectations clear. Write goals in simple language, review them regularly and make sure people know how they are doing. Avoid surprises in performance reviews.
Build a culture of care. Encourage leaders to ask about wellbeing, to respect boundaries and to respond with flexibility when people face difficulty.
Focus on young workers. Provide mentoring, training and clear career paths. Involve them in meaningful projects, and listen to their ideas. Paylocity’s upskilling guide explains how employers can plan training.
Support managers. Ensure that managers have manageable team sizes, tools to reduce administrative load and training in coaching. A skills audit, as described in Workhuman’s skills-gap audit guide, can show where training is needed.
Measure and respond. Use short pulse surveys to track engagement and act on the findings.

In short:

Write clear, shared goals.
Show care through regular conversations.
Mentor and develop young workers.
Give managers time and training.
Track results and act.

None of these steps needs a large budget. They need attention and consistency, and leaders who model the behaviour they want.

What employees can do for their own engagement

If your own engagement is low, you can take steps even if your employer does not.

Ask for clarity. Request a conversation with your manager about priorities, success measures and deadlines. Write down what you agree.
Seek connection. Make time for colleagues, whether in person or online. A friendly word or a shared lunch can build bonds.
Find meaning. Link your daily tasks to something you care about, such as helping customers or learning a craft.
Grow. Take on a project, join a course or find a mentor. Growth is one of the most reliable sources of engagement. Our AI reskilling guide is a good place to start.
Look after yourself. Set limits on work hours, rest and keep up healthy routines.

If you try these steps and still feel drained, consider whether the role or employer is right for you. In a slow market, a move needs planning, so check the data for your field (for tech roles, see Robert Half’s technology job market report) and prepare your application using our guide on how to apply for jobs and get your application noticed. Staying in a bad fit has its own cost.

Remember that US employee engagement is an average. Plenty of workplaces do better, and you may find one.

Lessons for South African workplaces

The Gallup article is about US employee engagement, but its lessons travel. Clarity of expectations and feeling cared about matter in every country. The human need to know what is expected, and to feel valued, is universal.

South African employers can use the same two items as a simple check. Ask your staff whether they know what is expected of them and whether someone at work cares about them. If the answers are weak, you have a starting point.

Context also matters. South African workplaces face their own pressures, including economic strain, unemployment, transport challenges and diverse teams. Managers may have to build trust across language and cultural lines. Clear communication and genuine care can help.

Younger South African workers face a tough job market and may feel lucky to have any job. That can hide disengagement. Employers who invest in mentoring and growth may see strong loyalty in return.

Treat the US findings as a guide, then collect your own data to see how your workplace compares.

How to read the US employee engagement data with care

Some cautions apply. The extract used for this summary is brief, and the date of the article is approximate. For exact wording and extra detail, read the full Gallup piece.

Survey data reflects how people say they feel. It can be affected by mood and by how questions are worded. Differences of one or two points may fall within the margin of error.

The claim of 8 million fewer engaged workers is an estimate based on survey percentages and the size of the workforce. It is a useful way to picture the change, not an exact count.

Gallup also sells engagement products, so it is good practice to compare its findings with independent research. Studies from universities and other survey firms can offer a check.

Finally, do not assume that engagement scores alone tell the full story. Pay, job security, workload and culture also shape how people feel. Use engagement data alongside other measures of workplace health.

Final thoughts

US employee engagement held at 31% in 2025, matching 2024 and a ten-year low, with about 8 million fewer engaged workers than in 2020. The youngest workers fell the most, and the largest item-level declines since 2020 are clarity of expectations, down nine points, and feeling cared about, down eight points.

Both items are within the reach of managers and organisations. Clear goals, genuine care, strong support for young workers and better support for managers can all help.

Read the full Gallup article for detail, and measure engagement in your own team so that you can act on what you find.

Sources and further reading

Gallup, U.S. Employee Engagement Declines From 2020 Peak