First it was quiet quitting, now workers face off with bosses

More and more Americans aren't feeling great at work.

- Lindsay Ellis

Half of workers aren't engaged on the job, putting in minimal effort to get by, according to research by Gallup released Tuesday. Employee engagement in the US declined for the second year in a row. There is also a growing share of the workforce that is disengaged, or resentful that their needs aren't being met. In some cases, these workers are disgruntled over low pay and long hours, or they have lost trust in their employers.

"Employers are just not as in touch with employees," said Jim Harter, chief workplace scientist at Gallup and lead author on the report. Some of the recent shift in attitude stems from workers having unclear expectations from their managers. Workers' frustrations have been building since 2021, after Gallupmeasured US worker-engagement levels hit their highest level on record in 2020. In the spring and summer of 2020, as Covid-19 spread and there was social unrest in the wake of George Floyd's murder, executives at many companies had town halls and listening sessions with employees, communicating organizational mission and keeping workplace relationships strong.

This year, more companies are trying to bring workers back to offices as bosses fret about worker productivity and loyalty.