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By Sinazo Mkoko 

According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report, most employees in today’s typical organisation are neither engaged nor actively disengaged. They are filling a seat but have yet to take ownership of their work.

The report shows that about 23% of the world’s employees were engaged at work in 2022, the highest level since Gallup began measuring global engagement in 2009. It notes that although engagement declined in 2020, it has returned to its historically positive trend.

The report states that the increase in engagement is good news for employees who are thriving at work and finding their daily work more rewarding. However, there is also a long way to go — most workers are “quiet quitting” (not engaged) or “loud quitting” (actively disengaged), the report noted.

It adds that the employees who are thriving at work find their work meaningful and feel connected to the team and their organisation, while quiet quitters are filling a seat and watching the clock. 

“They put in the minimum effort required, and they are psychologically disconnected from their employer. Although they are minimally productive, they are more likely to be stressed and burned out than engaged workers because they feel lost and disconnected from their workplace.”

The report indicates that low-engagement workers represent an immense opportunity for economic growth. 

“Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy US$8.8-trillion and accounts for 9% of global GDP. Leadership and management directly influence workplace engagement, and there is much that organisations can do to help their employees thrive at work.

Such issues and more HR- related issues will be discussed at the FOHR Summit taking place this November. Get your tickets here:

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The report states that leadership and management directly influence workplace engagement, and there is much that organisations can do to help their employees thrive at work.

“For leaders and managers, loud quitting can signal major risks within an organisation that are important not to ignore. Conversely, quiet quitters are often your greatest opportunity for growth and change. They are waiting for a leader or a manager to have a conversation with them, encourage them, and inspire them. A few changes to how they are managed could turn them into productive team members.

The report warns that employee engagement does not mean happiness. 

“If you are only measuring employee contentment, you are missing engagement. And the reality is that many corporate measures of engagement are really just measuring contentment. True engagement means your people are psychologically present to do their work. They understand what to do; they have what they need; and they have a supportive manager and a supportive team. They know why their work matters. They are work-ready.”

Gallup is a global analytics and advice firm that helps leaders and organisations solve their most pressing problems, particularly HR issues. 

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