You should take a look at these employee engagement statistics to have a better insight into what makes employees more engaged, what discourages them, how employee development should be implemented in a company’s business strategy, and why it’s so important.

Employee engagement can have a significant impact on the company’s advancement, revenues, and overall success.

Therefore, managers need to have an excellent strategy to motivate their employees to be more interested in their work.

By providing everything their employees need, such as flexibility and recognition, managers can boost their productivity.

The Main Employee Engagement Stats (Editor’s Choice)

  • Disengaged workers cost American companies up to $550 billion per year.
  • Highly engaged workers can boost company profitability by 21%.
  • Engaged employees are 44% more productive than the ones who aren’t.
  • Workers who feel like their opinion is valued are 4.6 times more likely to perform better.
  • 96% of workers say that empathy from the organization is important to them.
  • Around 50% of employees are somewhat disengaged.
  • Employee turnover costs a company around 21% of their annual salary.

Important Employee Engagement Statistics in 2022

Many employers have a hard time figuring out what their employees need to feel more engaged and happy at their jobs—in fact, a lot of employers are incredulous to the fact that a lot of it has to do with them.

1. 29% of employees changed their job because of their boss.

So what do statistics say about why employees quit? Employees are willing to change their jobs because of better company culture, a 9% bigger salary, or being underpaid.

Younger employees are the ones who usually take issue with a bad boss. Simultaneously, baby boomers and Generation X—so everyone born between 1946 and 1980—would prefer a bad boss over being underpaid.

2. In the past few years, 88% of people would consider pursuing a new job opportunity.

Around 33% of survey respondents in the CareerBuilder survey stated that they didn’t want “just a job.”

Employee engagement data, along with many studies, reveal that many workers were open to different and new job opportunities.

3. Disengaged workers cost American companies up to $550 billion per year.

The sum is, in reality, anywhere between $450 and $550 billion. The same report shows that 95% of employees can recognize getting disengaged in the workplace.

There are many ways employers can avoid this happening to their workers,—and companies—such as assigning compelling tasks and curating highly trusted relationships.

4. According to an employee engagement survey, statistics indicated that being a part of the team makes an employee 2.3 times more engaged. 

As statistics from 2019 point out, teamwork is also an essential contributor to employee engagement.

Trust is crucial when it comes to employee engagement, both between the team members and with managers. Also, virtual workers seemed to be more engaged than the workers who worked in an office.

5. 16% of people across the globe considered themselves completely engaged in 2019.

Employee engagement statistics from the ADP Research Institute show that workers who trusted their leader were 12 times more likely to be engaged in their workplace.

The thing that vastly contributes to employee engagement and retention is good working conditions and trusting their superiors.

6. 74% of public employees would consider leaving their job if their pension was cut.

Around 79% of workers would also think about leaving their job if they lost healthcare benefits.

One of the notable and vital employee benefit statistics is that 93% of state and local employees thought that providing pension and healthcare benefits could motivate public employees to stay in their current positions and even attract new workers.

7. 91% of highly engaged employees are content with given professional development opportunities.

Almost all employees look for a new opportunity in their workplace. However, highly engaged employees are considerably more satisfied with professional development opportunities compared to disengaged employees because only 28% of actively disengaged employees are satisfied.

Figures don’t lie—organizations that make employee engagement central to their strategy earn more money. Providing the necessary tools, setting clear goals, and recognizing a job-well-done are crucial steps towards making an employee feel a valuable part of the organization.

Employee Engagement Statistics 2020

9. Engaged employees are 44% more productive than the ones who aren’t. 

It’s a well-known fact that engaged employees are more productive, but a highly engaged and inspired employee can be 125% more effective than the one who is just satisfied.

In addition to that, employees who feel passionate about their work are more likely to stay with their organization.

10. 40% of employees with inadequate training are likely to leave their job in the first year.

Employee development statistics show that if employees become more engaged, they’re less likely to look for another job. Employee training can include programs like first aid instructions or a new booking system.

The most important training is the one which enables employees to reach their long-term career goals. Some other benefits of employee development are having efficient workers and increased employee satisfaction and retention.

11. Inclusive and diverse companies are 35% more likely to have higher financial returns.

This is one of the top employee engagement trends in 2020. People of diverse cultural lives, religions, or ethnicities can develop many unique ideas and inventions and contribute to their financial returns.

Such an environment is far more engaging. However, inclusion is equally important, as every employee has to feel accepted and valued.

12. 63% of HR managers in the US claim they have an official employee engagement strategy.

According to WeSpire's survey, employee engagement statistics HR professionals say that their company offers 3.3 employee engagement programs, while employees state that 2.6 are available.

Only 42% of their employees agree with HR claims regarding employee engagement strategy.

13. Workers who feel like their opinion is valued are over four times more likely to perform better.

Giving employees feedback and recognizing they did a good job is crucial for their self-esteem and motivation. However, it’s not enough on its own.

Figures indicate that they want to feel like their voices are heard, as they are 4.6 times more likely to give their best at work.

14. 8% of UK employees are engaged.

Employee engagement statistics in 2020 that the UK is the country with the least engaged employees, with only 8% of active workers.

At the same time, 73% indicated that working from home during the pandemic has made them more efficient.

15. Only 15% of employees are engaged in their workplace.

These statistics on employee engagement point out that people either aren’t satisfied with their workplace and view it negatively or try to do their bare minimum just to finish given work. Employee engagement in Western Europe is alarmingly low (10%).

16. Male employees are 3.3% more likely to be engaged or very engaged at work.

While Wrike’s male survey respondents are 3.3% more engaged than the female ones, female employees from the same survey are 8% more likely to state they’re productive over three-quarters of the time they spend in their work.

17. Companies with a highly engaged workforce are 21% more productive.

Employee engagement productivity statistics also point out that businesses and companies with the highest levels of employee engagement are more profitable.

One company even increased production capacity by $3.8 million due to acting on employee feedback.

18. 13% of survey respondents said they felt disengaged because of their CEO.

Even though there are many reasons for employee unhappiness, having a bad CEO can result in disengagement.

Some other reasons for employee unhappiness are, as the same employee disengagement statistics show, the lack of interest in their job (21%), the lack of sense of greater purpose (15%), not having tools or resources (15%).

19. 45% of survey respondents felt disengaged because of no recognition.

Based on Wrike’s survey of more than 5,000 adults from various countries, and 45% of them stated that not being recognized as the reason for their disengagement, while 32% didn’t make enough money.

About 29% of them were burned out due to overwork, 26% didn’t see a possibility of growing their skills, and 24% felt disrespected by their coworkers.

Employee Engagement Scores by Industry and Region

Engagement levels of employees are starkly different around the world—read on to find out which countries have the most successful strategies to keep their workers motivated.

20. 53% of Americans are unhappy at work.

When it comes to unhappy employees, statistics show that—not only is over one-half of the workforce miserable at their jobs—people forfeited half of their vacation days in 2017.

Around 10% took no vacation days at all. This is because most of the employees are scared of falling behind.

21. Real estate, accommodation, and food services have 74.6% of active employees, employee engagement benchmarks indicate.

The industry sectors with a high percentage of hostile employees are healthcare (4.4%), education (4.3%), and wholesale trade (1.8%). The first three industries have approximately 74.6% of engaged employees.

These employee recognition statistics indicate that real estate and facilities management industries have a high level of employee respect and recognition (62%), authority (62%), and employee enablement (58%), which influence employee engagement scores.

22. The manufacturing industry is the industry with the worst-rated employee engagement in the US.

Even in the UK, only 35% of manufacturers consider their workforce engaged.

The main factors for their disengagement and the lack of motivation are communication breakdown, the lack of understanding or communication, and fractured relationships with their employers.

23. Only 40% of employees understand their company’s strategy.

According to various statistics, less than half of employees truly understand their company’s strategy, mission, and tactics.

In addition to that, these employee satisfaction statistics also 90% of manufacturers still use limited reach communications, such as emails or newsletters.

24. The region with the most engaged employees is Asia.

This is mainly because Asian workers intend to stay with their organization for a long time.

According to Qualtrics’ Employee Experience Trends report, India (79%), Thailand (72%), and Hong Kong (63%) have the most engaged workforce. The countries with the lowest rate of engaged employees are Japan (35%), South Korea (40%), and Germany (41%).

Per worldwide employee happiness statistics, the Japanese are the least satisfied in their workplaces.

25. Only 42% of Japanese workers are satisfied with their work.

Japan is the country with the unhappiest employees. Namely, the Japanese working culture is ruthless, and a bad work environment also plays a significant role in their unhappiness.

The country is trying to protect its employees from all kinds of abuse. That’s why Japan has the lowest employee engagement in the world.

Other Relevant Stats and Facts About Employee Engagement

26. 96% of workers say that empathy from the organization is essential to them. 

However, there is much disparity between CEOs and employees when it comes to this particular segment of interim relationships.

Namely, 92% of CEOs claim that their organization is empathetic towards its workers, but only 50% of employees consider their CEOs compassionate, per the latest employee engagement and retention statistics.

27. After three years of work, promoted employees have a 70% chance of staying with the same organization.

Additionally, the ones who have moved laterally have a 62% of staying. In comparison, people who have remained in the same position have only a 45% chance of staying in the same company or organization.

One of the most important things for every employee is their career, and if they don’t get the chance to grow professionally, they might leave, and these employee retention statistics prove that.

28. Employees are more satisfied with their job position and coworkers than with their managers and companies.

Employees are more satisfied with their coworkers (69%) and job position (70%), compared to their satisfaction with their managers (64%) and the company they work in (60%).

Managers should work on the direct channels of communication with their employees to increase their engagement.

29. 87% of millennials think the opportunity for professional development was critical in 2018.

What is the cost of disengaged employees? As figures point out, if employees are disengaged, they are most likely to leave, and that’s why over 50% of companies struggle with retaining their employees.

About 25% of employees would like to be given a chance to do what they think they are the best at, while 74% of them would even invest their own assets in training. Despite that, more than 70% of learning at the workplace occurs informally.

30. 70% fewer safety accidents happen in workplaces with highly engaged employees.

Some of the significant benefits of employee engagement are employee safety, health, and satisfaction.

They can focus on their work effectively without thinking about possible stressful situations regarding the room for advancement or their bosses, which also makes them more satisfied.

31. Engaged employees are less likely to be obese.

Happy and engaged employees are prone to exercising more and eating healthy.

Some of the other benefits that engaged workplaces deliver are higher sales, profitability, stock price, better customer support, greater productivity, employee loyalty, employee retention, lower absenteeism, and better home life.

32. There are four employee engagement levels: engaged, highly engaged, disengaged, and highly disengaged.

Highly engaged workers are the most productive, innovative and contribute to the overall engagement score in a specific company or organization.

Typically, 5–15% of the staff are highly engaged. 20–25% of employees are considered engaged.

33. Around 50% of employees are somewhat disengaged.

Disengaged employees are distracted for approximately 2–3 hours, and they don’t invest themselves fully in the given tasks. Roughly 5–15% of employees are highly disengaged.

They doubt the company’s vision and often undermine the efforts of more engaged coworkers.

34. Disengaged workers cost the economy around $300 billion every year.

Employee motivation statistics for 2015 show that the 100 best companies to work for had an incredible 200.6% return over the last decade.

Some people believe that incentive programs don’t work. If an employee incentive program truly doesn’t work, it’s probably because it’s poorly structured or challenging to manage; evidence shows that companies that use incentive programs have a 79% success rate in achieving their goals.

35. Employee turnover costs a company around 21% of their annual salary.

That means that investing in increasing employee morale is more beneficial.

Employee morale statistics reveal that the best means of increasing employees’ morale and productivity is enabling flexible work since those who have implemented it have experienced an 89% employee retention increase.

Almost all employee turnover statistics regarding employee engagement show that work-life balance is the key to success for every company.

36. Engagement drops by almost 7% after one year of working at a company.

New employees are motivated in the beginning because they want to demonstrate their abilities.

While 82% of employees are engaged in their first year of work, it quickly drops to 75% in the second one. After three to five years, it drops to 74%.

Employee Engagement Stats—The Takeaway

Employees’ productivity vastly influences a company’s revenue and success. Disengaged employees are costly, and therefore, companies try to make their employees as engaged as possible.

The main contributor to employee happiness and satisfaction is valuing and recognizing them,and that’s why companies work hard on boosting their employees’ morale and motivation.

It’s also important to note that the trends are constantly changing, so there are various improvements regarding technology, gender equality, and opportunities for professional advancement.