A new Gallup report highlighted challenges facing workplaces in the new year, as unemployment claims hit a three-year high, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
In 2024, Gallup said U.S. employee engagement reached an 11-year low and overall employee satisfaction returned to a record low. It also said employees are seeking new job opportunities at the highest level since 2015.
Gallup said that means workers are staying in their current roles, even though they feel disconnected from their jobs — what the analytics company is referring to as "The Great Detachment."
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A poor job market leads to more disgruntled employees. However, Gallup said that "improving economic conditions shifts employees from angry to indifferent, but not from indifferent to inspired."
Only 50% of U.S. employees are thriving in their overall lives, which Gallup said is a new record low since it started trend measuring employee well-being in 2009.
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Other challenges cited in the report include maintaining collaboration in hybrid work settings, adoption of artificial intelligence and ongoing issues for parents related to child care.
Gallup said these key employee experiences remain below pre-pandemic levels, meaning the workplace never returned to normal. Inspiring and supporting teams through significant change and uncertainty remains a top challenge for leadership.
