Worker engagement has been improving since the coronavirus pandemic, but fewer than 1 in 5 people worldwide were fully engaged on the job in 2025.

That means the vast majority of people – 4 in 5 – aren’t giving it their all at work.

Each year, our Global Workforce Survey asks people dozens of questions about their jobs and employers, their levels of optimism, stress, and productivity, and their expectations and plans. We ask why they join organizations, and why they stay.¹

From their answers, we determine how engaged people are at work, which can tell us a lot about how they think and feel about their jobs and their managers. And a worker’s engagement, in turn, can tell employers something about worker productivity and retention.

Engagement across the globe

Our survey found that only 19 percent of workers were fully engaged, a topline reading that was unchanged from 2024. While people in several parts of the world showed improved engagement, others reported feeling more detached.

Here’s a look at our most and least engaged markets as well as some year-over-year notable swings.

In 2025, 29 percent of workers were fully engaged, an increase of 2 percentage points from 2024 and a tie of Brazil’s record for engagement set in 2023.

What’s going on? Young workers have brought elevated expectations to the workplace. They’re looking for purpose, an alignment of values, clear expectations, and improved feedback, recognition, and opportunities. And because employee experiences are highly visible on social media, these expectations have accelerated a change in leadership behavior. Employers increasingly treat engagement as a strategic priority, investing in employee experience, well-being, transparent communication, and cultural alignment.

China had the lowest level of engagement, at only 11 percent, down 3 percentage points from 2024.

What’s going on? Since the pandemic, some companies have tightened budgets, frozen pay increases, and cut benefits. There’s a failure to recognize high performers. Young workers want purpose and flexibility, but many employers still have seniority-based systems.

Workers in South Korea also scored near the bottom of our engagement metric, at 14 percent.

What's going on? The South Korean government’s “workation” and hybrid work models for civil servants are spreading to private employers, increasing productivity and job satisfaction. The largest employers have expanded benefits to include K-pop concert allowances, vehicle discounts, and extended vacations. A rise in unionization and a cultural shift that has young workers prioritizing work-life balance and meaningful jobs have prompted employers to adapt. Corporate leaders have begun to focus more on inspiring and empowering employees.

In Switzerland, the share of engaged workers rose 4 percentage points to 20 percent. Taiwan also had a four-point swing, jumping to 13 percent, its highest level to date.

What’s going on? Switzerland is a predictable, well-managed market, and many workers feel relatively secure in their jobs. Purchasing power has improved of late as real wage growth turned positive amid cooling inflation. Finally, 2025 brought clearer rules on cross-border telework and taxation, which might have reduced day-to-day uncertainty and lifted employee engagement.

Worker engagement in Mexico had been rising since 2018 to reach a record high in 2024, when 24 percent of survey respondents were fully engaged. That share dropped 6 percentage points to 18 percent in 2025.

What’s going on? A convergence of leadership, organizational, and economic factors have eroded engagement. Mexico’s cultural reliance on immediate leadership, combined with heavier managerial workloads and organizational complexity disproportionately affected engagement where leaders lack support. A softer economic outlook has dampened worker confidence. These challenges are compounded by a slow evolution in HR practices, particularly in employee development, feedback, and recognition.

South Africa, which led the world in 2024 with 31 percent of workers fully engaged, slipped four percentage points to 27 percent. South Africa still ranked second in 2025, just behind Brazil.

What’s going on? High unemployment, inflation, and social unrest have created uncertainty. On the job, some people still are adjusting to hybrid and remote work, with some feeling a sense of isolation. Many employers are working on better ways to support their employees—be it through recognition, career growth, or mental health support—but these initiatives take time to get right. There’s still a real need for skills development and growth opportunities to grow. When people lack a clear path forward, dedication to their work can suffer.

India has been sliding since a record high of 23 percent fully engaged in 2023, dropping 4 percentage points to 15 percent.

What’s going on?Workers in India put in long hours and complain of digital overload. Parliament is weighing a Right to Disconnect bill amid growing concern about work spilling into personal time. India’s long and fragmented workdays drain worker energy, reduce focus, and make it harder to sustain enthusiasm at work. Wide skill gaps are contributing to reduced engagement. 

Here’s how workers in the rest of the world fared.

What can employers do?

Engagement has links to meaningful outcomes such as productivity, retention, and brand promotion. But finding the levers to increase worker engagement isn’t always simple or straightforward.

• Invest in skills. Among workers who strongly agree that their employer is investing in them, 53 percent are fully engaged. When this support is lacking, the share of fully engaged workers falls to only 12 percent.

• Build trust. Engagement increases dramatically when workers trust their leaders.

• Help workers find purpose. Workers who find meaning in their jobs are 12.5 times more likely to be fully engaged than workers who don’t. This could be as simple as asking people where they find purpose and giving them opportunities that align.
• Minimize stress. People who report less-frequent stress are more likely to be fully engaged.

For more on this story, please see Today at Work 2026, Issue 1.