Gallup’s State of the Workplace 2024: Global Workers Disengaged

Published 27 June 2024

Author
Nienke Creemers
2 min read

The 2024 State of the Global Workplace report by American consultancy Gallup shows that most employees around the world lack enthusiasm for their jobs, and their wellbeing suffers as a result. Low employee engagement has direct consequences for organisational productivity and could cost the global economy $8.9tn per year.

Key Stats

Global Data

23%

Globally, 23% of employees are engaged at work

62%

Among the global workforce, 62% report they’re not engaged at work – a three percentage point increase from 2022

15%

Worldwide, 15% of employees say they’re actively disengaged at work – a three percentage point decrease from 2022

34%

Among the global workforce, 34% report they’re thriving in life, while 58% say they’re struggling, and 8% state they’re currently suffering

41%

Global workers experience a considerable amount of stress at work: 41% state they feel a lot of stress in the workplace

54%

Worldwide, 54% of employees feel positive about the job market, saying it’s a good time to find a job

52%

Globally, 52% of employees are actively seeking a new job

North America

33%

In the US and Canada, 33% of employees report being engaged at work – a two percentage point increase since 2022

53%

In the US and Canada, 53% of the workforce say they’re thriving in life

49%

In the US and Canada, 49% of employees state they feel a lot of stress at their workplace

59%

In the US and Canada, 59% of the workforce think it's a good time to find a job – an 11 percentage point decrease from 2022

49%

In the US and Canada, 49% of employees are looking for another job

Europe

13%

In Europe, 13% of employees report being engaged at work – the lowest engagement of any region

47%

In Europe, 47% of the workforce say they’re thriving in life

37%

In Europe, 37% of employees state they feel a lot of stress in the workplace

57%

In Europe, 57% of the workforce think now is a good time to look for a job

Middle East & North Africa

14%

In the Middle East and North Africa, 14% of employees report being engaged at work – a two percentage point decrease since 2022

25%

In the Middle East and North Africa, 25% of the workforce say they’re thriving in life

52%

In the Middle East and North Africa, 52% of employees state they feel a lot of stress in the workplace – a seven percentage point increase since 2022

33%

In the Middle East and North Africa, 33% of the workforce think it's a good time to find a job

East Asia

18%

In East Asia, 18% of employees report being engaged at work

32%

In East Asia, 32% of the workforce say they’re thriving in life – a seven percentage point decrease since 2022

46%

In East Asia, 46% of employees state they feel a lot of stress in the workplace – a six percentage point drop since 2022

51%

In East Asia, 51% of the workforce think it's a good time to find a job – an 11 percentage point increase from 2022

54%

In East Asia, 54% of employees are looking for another job

Australia & New Zealand

25%

In Australia and New Zealand, 25% of employees report being engaged at work – a two percentage point increase since 2022

60%

In Australia and New Zealand, 60% of the workforce say they’re thriving in life

48%

In Australia and New Zealand, 48% of employees state they feel a lot of stress in the workplace

79%

In Australia and New Zealand, 79% of the workforce think it's a good time to find a job

  • A Disengaged Workforce: Most global employees remain apathetic about their jobs: 62% report being not engaged (unattached to their jobs and company) and 15% are actively disengaged (undermining the progress of their company out of resentment). European workers report the least engagement, with only 13% expressing interest in their work.

    Disengagement at work could lead to lower overall wellbeing. Among actively disengaged employees, 54% experience a lot of daily stress. And only 32% of those who are not engaged at work report they’re thriving in life – compared with 50% of committed employees.

  • Employee Wellbeing Continues to Suffer: Globally, 58% of workers say they’re struggling (Gallup, 2024). Between 2022 and 2024, employee wellbeing declined especially among young people: only 31% of those under 35 say they’re thriving – a four percentage point drop from 2022.

    Stress at work is a main factor in employee wellbeing: 41% globally report a lot of daily stress. Daily stress levels are highest in the Middle East and North Africa (52%) and the US and Canada (49%).

  • Managers Set the Tone for Engagement: Within organisations, committed managers elicit better engagement from employees. According to Gallup, three in four managers in “best-practice organisations” (companies that actively try to increase employee engagement) are enthusiastic about work, compared with 30% of managers overall. Among non-managers in best-practice organisations, seven in 10 report being engaged at work, versus 23% globally.