GLG Insights | Verônica Grigoletto | August 5, 2025

Stressed woman, looking at the computer with the hands on the forehand, seems upset

Across the globe, institutions are navigating a perfect storm: geopolitical instability, economic pressure, generational shifts in work expectations, and rising mental health concerns. The result? A sharp decline in employee engagement is one of the most critical indicators of organizational health.

Workforce unrest isn’t just a headline; it’s a macroeconomic signal.

In Brazil, workers are organizing to demand more humane shift structures and pay transparency. In India and Southeast Asia, quiet quitting has given way to open employee resistance to rigid corporate culture. In the U.S. and Europe, labor actions are on the rise, from the entertainment industry to education and healthcare, signaling a larger reevaluation of what work should look like.

For strategy leaders, this isn’t just an HR challenge. It’s a structural moment.

According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report, only 21% of employees feel engaged at work. A 2024 report from Reed found that 85% of employees have experienced burnout or work-related stress, with younger workers, those in their 20s and 30s, reporting the most severe impact.

These numbers reflect a deeper truth: the psychological contract between employers and employees is changing. And the organizations that treat this moment as an opportunity to adapt will be the ones that emerge with stronger teams, better performance, and a more resilient culture.

Employee engagement is more than a workplace trend; it’s a core indicator of organizational health and long-term success. When people are engaged, they stay longer, perform better, and contribute more meaningfully to team culture. But in today’s climate, sustaining engagement takes more than motivational emails and occasional check-ins.

How We Got Here: The Bigger Picture

Disengagement isn’t happening in isolation. It’s tied to broader global anxieties, conflict, inequality, cost of living crises, and it’s affecting how people show up in the workplace. Employees are reevaluating what they expect from employers: clarity, empathy, purpose, and support.

In a climate where turnover is expensive and brand trust is fragile, organizations need more than performative wellness perks. They need systems that respond to the lived experience of work today.

At Glass Ladder Group, we work with leadership teams to build those systems, ones that are strategic, practical, and rooted in empathy. Here are six areas we recommend focusing on to boost morale and increase engagement:

1. Pay Transparency

Telemarketing workers with headphones, smiling on a normal work day — When people understand how compensation decisions are made and feel that their pay reflects their contributions, trust increases. According to Payscale, fair pay leads to stronger engagement and lower turnover.
**GLG Insight**: Review salaries regularly and communicate how compensation decisions are made. Even small steps toward transparency can build a more respectful culture.

2. Prioritize Rest

Burnout is common across all industries. People need time to rest, reset, and manage their responsibilities outside of work. A study shows that flexibility and time off support employee well-being and better business outcomes.

GLG Insight: Build recovery time into your schedule design. Consider flexible hours, protected personal time, or encouraging full use of vacation days.

3. Offer Meaningful Feedback

People want to succeed at work, but they need clear direction and support to do it. According to Gallup, frequent, high-quality feedback is one of the strongest drivers of engagement.

GLG Insight: Make feedback a regular part of your team rhythm. Prioritize clarity, timeliness, and a tone that supports development.

4. Create Learning Opportunities

Two employess working on a casual environment, drinking coffee and talking, creating a learning environment opportunity — Engagement increases when people feel like they’re growing. LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report found that employees are more likely to stay at companies that invest in their learning.
**GLG Insight**: Encourage growth through mentorship, coaching, internal training, and development programs. Help people see a future for themselves inside the organization.

5. Celebrate What’s Working

Recognizing progress builds connection and helps maintain momentum. Harvard Business Review highlights that small, consistent celebrations can create a stronger and more motivated team.

GLG Insight: Make recognition part of your culture. A thank you message, a quick shoutout in a meeting, or sharing progress in a team email can go a long way.

6. Listen

Listening with intention helps teams feel respected and understood. Research shows that environments where employees feel heard often see higher trust, stronger collaboration, and better retention. This article from Inc. highlights listening as one of the key skills behind high-performing leadership.

GLG Insight: Build in time to hear from your team through one-on-one conversations, feedback sessions, or open forums. People often know what’s working and what isn’t. Giving them space to share helps leaders make better decisions.

Why This Matters Now

In a volatile world, employee engagement is a stabilizer. It’s a measure of how aligned your internal culture is with your external performance goals. And for institutions that want to lead with both impact and resilience, this is a moment that calls for strategic clarity, not reactive management.

The workforce is changing, and so must leadership. As systems of work, equity, and trust are being redefined across borders, organizations must evolve from the inside out. That means crafting engagement strategies that are responsive not just to quarterly metrics, but to global realities and generational expectations.

At Glass Ladder Group, we help leaders meet that challenge through strategy, culture, and communication that equips teams to thrive.

Want to build a stronger foundation for your people?
Visit glassladdergroup.com or reach out directly. Let’s create a workplace strategy that meets the moment.