Global Workplace Still Broken, but Better

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

The voice of the world in numbers

June 12, 2024

We know how much our Front Page subscribers love data-driven insights on how life is being experienced around the world, so we're delighted to send you this special edition celebrating the release of the 2024 State of the Global Workplace report, powered by the Gallup World Poll.

State of the Global Workplace 2024 report cover

Discover the state of global employee engagement and delve into the factors that shape these findings.

1. Global Workplace Still Broken, but Better

Line Chart: 23% of employees worldwide were engaged in 2023, 62% were not engaged, and 15% were actively disengaged.

The Data: Employee engagement levels became slightly less negative between 2022 and 2023. While the percentage of global employees who are engaged was unchanged at 23%, the percentage who are actively disengaged fell by three percentage points to 15%, and those not engaged increased by three points to 62%.

Larger Implications: Gallup defines employee engagement as the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion, or 9% of global GDP.

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2. Young Employees' Wellbeing in Decline

Line Chart: 36% of employees aged 35 and older were thriving in 2023, compared with 31% of employees younger than 35.

The Data: The wellbeing of younger employees, those younger than 35, fell from 35% to 31% thriving. It improved slightly among people aged 35 and older, rising from 35% to 36%.

Deeper Look: The disparity in wellbeing between age groups highlights a potential generational gap in how younger and older employees have recently experienced their work environment.

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3. The Emotional Cost of Management

Range Plot: Overall life experiences among managers vs. non-managers worldwide in 2023.

The Data: Although 30% of managers are engaged at work, they also have slightly higher rates of worry (39%) than non-managers (36%).

Bottom Line: The world's managers are more likely than non-managers to be engaged at work and thriving in life. But in terms of their daily emotions, managers are more likely to report feeling angry, sad and worried — and they are more likely than non-managers to be looking for new work.

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4. One in Five Employees Worldwide Report Feeling Lonely

Bar Chart: Globally, 20% of employees reported experiencing loneliness during a lot of the previous day in 2023.

The Data: Globally, 20% of employees reported experiencing loneliness during a lot of the previous day.

Demographic Differences: In-office workers feel less lonely. While 25% of those who always work from home reported experiencing loneliness during a lot of the day, 16% of those who never work from home said the same. Plus, those younger than 35 are more likely than those aged 35 and older to experience loneliness.

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5. What Is the Landscape of the World's Workplace?

Bar Chart: A global snapshot of employee engagement, life evaluation, daily negative emotions and the job market in 2023.

The Data: In 2023, 34% of employed adults worldwide rated their lives positively enough to be considered thriving. Stress remains prevalent, even with a three-point drop from 2022, with 41% reporting stress in their daily lives. Job market optimism showed a minor improvement, with 54% believing it's a good time to find a job. Additionally, the intent to seek new employment rose slightly to 52%.

Overall: The latest data provide a mixed picture of global workforce and societal trends, with slight increases in job market optimism, less negative conditions in the percentage of actively disengaged employees, and mixed changes in daily negative emotions and overall life evaluation.

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