Global workforce engagement drops, costing economy $438 billion

In 2024, global employee engagement suffered a notable decline, dropping from 23% to 21%. This downturn had significant economic ramifications, leading to a staggering loss of productivity valued at approximately $438 billion. This crisis was particularly pronounced among managers, whose engagement fell from 30% to 27%, indicating a widespread struggle amidst the increasingly demanding post-pandemic workplace. Concurrently, a troubling trend emerged: 50% of the global workforce was reported to be actively seeking new job opportunities, revealing an impending talent exodus that could destabilize various organizations around the world. The decline in manager engagement was not uniform; it disproportionately affected younger and female managers. Engagement among managers under 35 years old fell by 5 percentage points, while engagement among female managers dropped by 7 percentage points. This disturbing decline coincided with a larger trend of disengagement among the workforce, as a significant 62% of respondents reported feeling