Latest news with #StateoftheGlobalWorkplace2025
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Disengaged And Drained? 5 Leadership Moves That Actually Work In 2025
According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report, a staggering 79% of employees ... More worldwide are not engaged. But there is hope. Once upon a time, disengagement was a warning sign. Today, it's the default. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report, a staggering 79% of employees worldwide are not engaged—with 17% actively disengaged, meaning they're not just checked out, they're actively working against company goals. This isn't just about morale. The cost of disengagement for a median S&P 500 company is estimated between $228 million and $355 million annually—or up to $1.8 billion over five years. And it's not just employees who are suffering: managers experienced the sharpest engagement drop of all. That's a leadership emergency. But here's the good news: Some organizations are not only staying afloat, they're thriving. What sets them apart isn't a better wellness app or a more persuasive vision statement. It's reinvention. From my work both as a scientist and a mining executive, one thing is clear: You cannot solve a 2025 problem with a 2015 leadership model. So what actually works now? Here are 5 leadership moves that are delivering real results—increasing engagement, reducing burnout, and building true resilience in a world that's not slowing down. 1. Rewrite the Psychological Contract Employees today aren't just burned out—they're disillusioned. They've been promised one thing ('we just need to get through this transformation') only to find the next disruption already knocking. In my recent Harvard Business Review article, 'Constant Change Is Rewriting the Psychological Contract with Employees,' I explored this shift. The old contract—'Help us through this change, and then things will stabilize'—no longer holds. In a world of constant turbulence, employees need honesty, alignment, and a new deal. That means: • Making reinvention part of everyone's job, not a separate initiative. • Creating safe spaces for dialogue—like Beeline Kazakhstan's bi-weekly 'ask me anything' sessions and 'soft kill' product decisions. • Dedicating time to trend-watching, scenario planning, and skill-sharing across all levels. → Leadership move: Openly discuss how your organization is adapting the psychological contract to fit today's reality. This isn't just communication—it's restoration of trust. 2. Shift from Resistance to Reinvention Mindset When people view change as a threat, they brace for impact. But when they see change as normal—and potentially exciting—they lean in. That's why, at Reinvention Academy, we tested 15-minute reinvention tools with over 20,000 professionals globally. The results speak volumes: • 97.7% reported increased confidence in uncertainty • 95.5% improved their readiness to handle new challenges • 86.4% developed new ideas for reinventing products, services, or processes Just 15 minutes. Once a week. That's all it takes to begin changing the narrative around change itself. → Leadership move: Incorporate one simple mindset-reset exercise each week. Use it to reframe uncertainty from threat to opportunity. Over time, this creates a culture that doesn't just endure change—it grows from it.3. Elevate Managers as Culture Multipliers Gallup's 2025 report shows a worrying trend: managers are more disengaged than ever, dragging teams down with them. And yet, these same managers are the single most powerful influence on team morale, performance, and retention. The fix isn't micromanagement. It's elevation. Your managers need tools, trust, and time to be what we call at Reinvention Academy 'culture multipliers'—people who don't just cascade KPIs, but embody reinvention and lead by example. In 'Surviving Uncertainty: 5 Strategies To Stay Sane, Sharp And Financially Sound,' I shared how a team's adaptability hinges not on tools alone, but on the emotional and strategic fluency of their direct leaders. → Leadership move: Invest in managers as the frontline reinvention agents. Give them autonomy to adapt processes—and emotional support to lead through exhaustion.4. Make Reinvention a Daily Habit, Not a Year-End Initiative Too many organizations still treat strategy, innovation, and change as three different departments. In reality, they're one system—and that system needs to move continuously. In 'The New Corporate Playbook: 5 Trends Changing The Rules Of The Game In 2025,' I explained how companies are shifting from episodic change to continuous reinvention—a rhythm of listening, adapting, and evolving in real time. Whether it's through agile strategy sprints, weekly 'what's shifting?' team huddles, or regular product kill sessions, the goal is to normalize the act of letting go and starting fresh. → Leadership move: Build micro-reinvention cycles into your operating model. Don't wait for disruption—lead it.5. Design Energy-Rich Workflows (Not Just Efficient Ones) We often think of productivity as a time issue. But today, it's an energy issue. Disengaged teams aren't always overwhelmed—they're under-inspired. The best-performing leaders I've worked with design energy-rich work environments: • Meetings that have purpose (or don't exist at all) • Workflows that include reflection, not just reaction • Cultures where contribution is measured by impact, not just hours I've been to team meetings that include a round of Wordle and laughed at the 'Thursday Meme' exchange that brought the energy of the team way up. It's not soft. It's strategic. → Leadership move: Audit your workflows for emotional ROI. Ask: 'Does this system give people energy—or drain it?' Then redesign Bottom Line In 2025, most of your employees aren't burned out because they're weak. They're burned out because they're operating in old systems that no longer work. So don't throw another motivational poster on the wall. Roll up your sleeves—and start with something real. Even 15 minutes a week can reset a mindset, spark a new idea, or reignite a team. With trust. With clarity. With reinvention at its core. Because your people aren't really waiting—for leadership that works.
![[Lee Jae-min] Calm thinking on quiet quitting](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F07%2F23%2Fnews-p.v1.20250723.9b94e8f4957642dda95f20974e121eea_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Lee Jae-min] Calm thinking on quiet quitting](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Lee Jae-min] Calm thinking on quiet quitting
Korea still works hard. The country is known for its long working hours. A recent OECD survey in April 2025 puts Korea at No. 5 out of 38 countries surveyed with 1,900 hours per year per person. On top of that, Korea has long championed a strong work ethic with which people are educated and told to "do their best" on the job. The "do-your-best" mentality arguably underpins the economic success story of the resource-scarce country. Korean workplaces are now seeing seismic changes in this "hard work" culture. It would be another 'back-in-my-days' story that becomes easy gossip material for young colleagues over their lunch that day. Obviously, the young generation thinks differently. As people half-jokingly say, three questions when Millennials and Generation Z staff are asked to do something to which they do not fully subscribe are: 'You mean this?,' 'You mean me?' and 'Why should I?' in sequence. So, they need a particular reason to do the work. The changing workplace culture in the country slowly spreads the term "quiet quitting." It is a phrase coined a couple of years ago in other countries to describe a situation where people do not resign, but do the minimum on the job. It means employees stay on the job passively even if they do not quit outright. According to a survey conducted by local job portal Incruit in March 2024, 51.7 percent of respondents, many of whom were from younger generations, said they were in the mode of quiet quitting. Presumably, other countries are seeing a similar trend as well. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025, 79 percent of employees globally are either not engaged (62 percent) or actively disengaged (17 percent) from their work or organization, both situations that might fan quiet quitting. In East Asia, the rate stands at 82 percent (65 percent plus 17 percent). In Korea, debates are ongoing; there is a growing tension between those who expect more contribution on the job versus those who are ready to do just what is required of them. Emails and posts abound with leadership enhancement materials and coaching skills to kill the quiet quitting trend and galvanize the communal spirit at the workplace. Come to think of it, perhaps the concept of quiet quitting has persisted through human history. Bad bosses are steadily plentiful. Toxic human relationships and unreasonable decisions are rampant in the workplace. No wonder learned helplessness seeps in with frustrated people poised to do the bare minimum. Even under a good boss and in a friendly work environment, many of us frequently struggle between doing our best and doing the minimum, striving to ride out the day and the month to stay afloat at work. People don't just go full speed constantly. So, quiet quitting may not be a new phenomenon, but another label for an old social interaction that remains within socially acceptable parameters. The difference seems to be that people are now more open about it, and sometimes make it public. Quiet quitting, however, apparently has its limit. When it degenerates into avoidance of required work and failure to complete the mandate, that seems to be a different story. Quiet quitting in that case does not do the bare minimum; instead, it holds the entity back. It is like someone throwing in a pinch of sand into a machine every now and then. Many a day will go unnoticed and uneventful, but there will come the moment when a single grain of sand brings the machine to a halt. There may be cases for both, and each case is different indeed. Sometimes, it can be hard to tell which is which. A critical point of note for the Korean workplace from the quiet quitting dialogue is the need for a transition from a nuanced culture of unwritten rules to clear job descriptions. Nuanced communication, unwritten norms and implicit codes of behavior once conducted Korean workplaces like a well-orchestrated symphony. That culture has undergone significant changes, but still lingers on here and there — sometimes yes and no are not entirely clear, and nudges and prods from company superiors are hard to decipher. Short on specifics and ambiguous, the nuance culture does not really present a reliable guideline in today's offices and cubicles. Doing the best and putting company matters first are the representative snapshots of the traditional work culture. The younger generations would not buy such subtle nuances. Nor would they like to be jerked around by bosses and seniors. They would expect to see clear rules and distinct boundaries. So, in the Korean context, the quiet quitting discourse may offer an occasion for healthy debates on drawing a boundary between work and personal life. Work-life balance and work-rest balance are ever more important for individuals, companies and organizations in Korea. The discourse may also usher in an environment of clearer and more detailed job descriptions. As long as an employee completes the task promised, that should be sufficient — it would be too much to expect something more than that. If doing the best is required, or doing whatever is necessary is necessary, a different compensation package or incentive arrangement may be needed. In sum, motivation triggers for younger generations in today's workplaces in Seoul: clear job description, fair evaluation and proper compensation, together with after-work freedom to mind their own business. Long working hours and abrasive "give-me-your-best" pressure will drive them further into the cave of quiet quitting.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why are 50% of US and Canadian employees on the lookout for a new job?
Why are 50% of US and Canadian employees on the lookout for a new job? They're showing up, logging in, hitting their targets — and quietly planning their exit. Across the US and Canada, half of all employees are actively looking for or open to a new job, according to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report. And it's not just a temporary itch — it's a signal that even in the world's most 'engaged' workforce, something isn't working. These workers aren't unproductive or checked out. Many are high-performing — but emotionally exhausted, quietly struggling, or simply no longer willing to settle. Daily stress, loneliness, and a sense of disconnect are becoming routine, especially for those under 35, who are not only feeling the weight of modern work but also leading the charge to move on from it. This isn't just a turnover problem. It's a warning shot for workplaces across North America: when high engagement meets low wellbeing, loyalty becomes the first casualty. Leaving comes easy Not only are workers considering new roles, they're optimistic about the job market itself. Gallup found that 57% of employees in the U.S. and Canada believe now is a good time to find a new job, and that optimism is strongest among younger employees — 61% of workers under 35 share this belief. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scegli la Fibra Ultraveloce di TIM TIM Scopri di più Undo For employers, this means the risk isn't just hypothetical. Workers don't feel stuck — they feel empowered to walk away. The emotional toll of everyday work Gallup's data reveals the emotional undercurrent driving these trends. Many employees, particularly younger ones, are carrying invisible burdens: 50% feel stressed every day, with 46% of those under the age of 35 22% feel sadness daily 17% report daily anger 15% say they feel lonely every single day These emotions aren't confined to off-hours or personal lives — they're happening during the workday, quietly shaping how people show up, interact, and perform. Wellbeing is splintered When asked to rate their overall lives, just 52% of employees in the U.S. and Canada said they are 'thriving' — a figure that, while higher than the global average, still leaves nearly half of the workforce in a more precarious state. According to Gallup, 44% say they are 'struggling,' and 4% report that they are 'suffering.' These aren't just abstract categories — they reflect real experiences of financial insecurity, emotional exhaustion, and lack of hope for the future. It's a sobering contrast in a region often seen as a global leader in productivity and opportunity. Despite strong economies and relatively high engagement levels, many workers aren't experiencing those benefits in their day-to-day lives. Thriving at work doesn't always translate to thriving in life — and for nearly half the workforce, it clearly doesn't. The data reveals a growing gap between surface-level success and deeper personal wellbeing. Engagement doesn't equal retention North America leads the world in employee engagement, with 31% of workers considered engaged at work. But that headline figure masks a deeper problem: the majority are still emotionally disconnected from their jobs. According to Gallup, 52% of employees in the U.S. and Canada are 'not engaged,' while 17% are 'actively disengaged' — meaning they may be spreading negativity or even undermining workplace goals. These numbers highlight that engagement isn't a fixed state. Employees might feel motivated and connected one day, then mentally check out the next. And clearly, being engaged doesn't guarantee retention — many are still ready to walk away. What this means for employers Gallup's findings are a wake-up call for companies that assume high performance means high loyalty. Retention strategies can no longer rely on compensation or perks alone. Employees, especially younger ones, want meaningful work, emotional support, growth opportunities, and environments that prioritize mental wellbeing. Failing to meet these needs could mean losing not just your next generation of leaders — but also the momentum your business depends on. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Young, employed and overwhelmed: 41% of workers under 35 battle daily stress
41% of workers under 35 battle daily stress: report finds. They were expected to lead the future of work: ambitious, tech-savvy and adaptable. A generation ready to reshape workplaces and challenge the old rules. But instead of thriving, millions of workers under 35 are buckling under the weight of daily pressure. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report, 41% of employees in this age group said they spend much of their average workday feeling stressed. The workplace, once imagined as a space for growth, creativity, and connection, is, for many, becoming a primary source of anxiety. This surge in stress isn't just about long hours or high workloads. It reflects a deeper, more systemic strain: a generation facing emotional fatigue at the very moment they're expected to be most driven, most dynamic, and most optimistic. The global stress epidemic: A snapshot Gallup's data paints a troubling picture of a generation under pressure across the globe. While the global average for daily stress sits at 40%, the burden weighs more heavily on workers under 35, with 41% of them reporting that they feel stressed 'a lot' on a workday. The pattern holds across continents, though some regions show even sharper spikes. In the United States and Canada, the number rises dramatically, 50% workers say they experience significant stress, making it one of the most affected demographics globally. In Australia and New Zealand, stress levels among younger workers remain high, mirroring patterns seen in the broader workforce, where 49% of employees overall report daily stress. In East Asia, including advanced economies like South Korea and Japan, stress among young professionals has been compounded by intense work cultures, where 48% of employees reported high stress. In regions like the Middle East and North Africa, where 48% of employees overall report daily stress, younger workers face added pressure from economic instability and limited job mobility. Meanwhile, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the stress rate stands at 47%, driven by rapid demographic changes and labor market volatility that leave young workers in precarious positions. At the other end of the spectrum, South Asia and Southeast Asia report lower average stress levels — 31% and 25%, respectively — though that doesn't mean younger workers in these regions are immune. In fact, these numbers may reflect cultural underreporting or different baselines of emotional expression rather than genuine differences in mental strain. Why are young workers so stressed? Unfortunately, rising stress levels at work have become all too familiar — especially for those in traditional 9-to-5 roles. But for younger employees, this pressure is reaching unsustainable levels. Gallup's latest findings suggest that a perfect storm of economic uncertainty, job insecurity, digital overload, and weak managerial support is intensifying stress for the under-35 workforce across the globe. Several factors are fueling this generational stress surge: Uncertain career paths: With layoffs, automation, and AI reshaping industries, young professionals often feel like they're running on unstable ground. Work-life blur: Remote work, once celebrated for its flexibility, has also dissolved boundaries — making it harder to switch off. Disconnection at work: Gallup notes that only 32% of global employees under 35 say they are 'thriving' in life overall, a figure lower than older cohorts. Lack of support: Younger managers in particular have seen sharp drops in engagement and wellbeing, highlighting the lack of mentorship and structure in many workplaces. Remote and restless One surprising insight from Gallup's 2025 report is the role of the work environment. While remote work was expected to improve wellbeing, stress and loneliness remain highest among remote and hybrid workers, especially among younger employees. For instance, 25% of workers under 35 globally reported feeling lonely during much of the previous day, compared to 20% of older colleagues. The digital freedom of remote work can come at the cost of social connection — a key buffer against stress. What employers can do Gallup's research doesn't just highlight the problem; it points toward solutions. The report emphasizes the critical role of managers and leadership in employee wellbeing. Unfortunately, only 44% of managers globally have received formal management training, and young managers are among the most disengaged groups in the workplace. By investing in manager development, regular coaching, and clearer pathways for growth, employers can help reduce disengagement and alleviate stress. In fact, Gallup estimates that closing the engagement gap could unlock up to $9.6 trillion in global productivity. One generation's stress, everyone's responsibility Stress may be the most measurable symptom of a much deeper issue: a generation that feels unsupported, undervalued, and unprepared to navigate a work culture in flux. If employers don't take these signals seriously, they risk not just a talent drain — but a collapse in motivation, innovation, and resilience. But if leaders act now with empathy, investment, and strategy, they can help turn this pressure into purpose. Because the same generation under stress is also the one most capable of driving the future forward if they're given the tools and support to thrive. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Irish Examiner
17-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Holiday hoarding: are you taking all of your annual leave?
Hoarding is harrowing. For visual artist Andy Warhol, it was time capsules. 600 of them. Stuffed with half a million items - one of which was pizza crust. For film-maker Stanley Kubrick, it was thousands of boxes, chock-full of career remnants. Intriguingly, both capsules and boxes were meticulously dated by the avid gatherers - punctilious pinpricks of discipline amid a clutter of accumulated excess. As for what drives a hoarding mentality, the Mayo Clinic website throws light on the topic, namely that 'hoarding individuals have a greater prevalence of personality disorders, especially schizotypal, dependent, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive.' While that's interesting, it doesn't apply to holiday hoarding. It doesn't explain why increasingly, workers are holding on to paid leave. Not taking it, so they've nothing to show for it, except perhaps a collection of travel bags that never travel, and a nagging feeling of burn-out. According to the latest FRS Recruitment Annual Leave Report, 42 per cent of employees polled did not use up all of their annual leave the previous year. Of those, a substantial 19 per cent left five days or more untaken. It might be tempting to conclude that workers forfeit paid leave because they love their jobs too much to stay away. But this is unlikely. Published in April, Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report found that 20 percent of employees felt lonely at work, with 41 per cent experiencing 'significant stress' there. Naturally, when workers aren't thriving, business struggles: American Journal of Preventive Medicine research published in April, indicated that employee disengagement/burnout resulted in $5.04 million in costs over the course of one year. Caroline Reidy is managing director at The HR Suite. Caroline Reidy is managing director at The HR Suite. She's also an expert in employment law. When we talk, she acknowledges that employees who hoard holidays are unlikely to go on the record to admit that. As for employers, she says: 'Since it's illegal, I can't imagine any admitting to allowing the practice.' Asked about the thinking that's behind holiday hoarding, she replies: 'Two things: A perception of 'I'm so busy, so how could I manage to take holidays, then come back to a huge build up of work afterwards?' Also, a culture in which people want to be seen putting work before work-life balance.' What about bullying? 'Absolutely,' she replies. 'If somebody feels they are being bullied, intimidated or put under pressure in the workplace, they may think asking to take some leave will be made into a big deal. 'I've come across scenarios where people say: 'I don't feel I can ask for even a day off, because when I did before, it was questioned so much, and such a big deal was made of it and I was asked what was I really going to be doing on the requested day off.' 'This happens, whereas it should of course, be the case, that in line with normal company policy, a person can apply for their time off and know it will be approved.' She believes that both holiday and protective leave must be respected: 'Because employees are entitled to this time off, we need to put good safeguards around it. Usually organisations have good policies but it's down to the immediate manager and to HR to make sure that the culture is there to support people to be off when they are rostered to be off.' Should managing directors and HR people be policing holiday leave, to ensure workers and taking it and that, except in the case of emergency, they are not being contacted with work queries during that time? 'Management can see if people are taking holidays, but what they can't see is whether they are being contacted by work while they're off. 'For this reason, employees need to be flagged and informed that management expects that everybody is taking their holidays and that they are being allowed to do so undisturbed. And that if this is not their experience, then employees should let HR or management know. 'This extra policing layer is important,' she says. When asked if holiday hoarding is more prevalent in large or small organisations, Catherine replies that it's more the culture of the organisation than the size, and the nature of the manager the worker reports to day-to-day. 'Holiday hoarding is mostly an issue in white collar jobs,' she says. 'Retail workers are likely to get their time off and be permitted to completely switch off when they do.' She's absolutely right, and the worker experience at O'Keefe's artisan food shop, which dates back to 1899, is a case in point. Donal O'Keefe was just 14 years of age when his parents bought that shop and he moved into its premises at Wellington Road, Cork. 'Here, there's never any difficulty with staff taking holidays,' he says. 'Time away is important. A two week break is better than one week.' Was this wisdom passed down to him by his parents? 'It was,' he replies. 'At one point, there were three generations of us working here in the shop. Unfortunately, my mother and grandmother have since passed. But I was taught early on that staff need time off to rest. I learned that from my mother.' Clearly, O'Keefe's is a great place to work. As staff member, Catherine O'Riordan, says: 'Our boss, Donal, is very good to us all. If we need to get off for something or we are going on holiday, we have no bother whatsoever getting time off in here. Everybody covers for everybody else. Like a few others, I'm 20-odd years working here, and I can tell you that here in this business, it's like we are all family.' Read More Dear Dáithí: My perfect girlfriend is horrible to me behind closed doors
