“What gets measured gets managed.”

My first boss told me this when I was a new sales rep. At the time, it made sense. He wanted me to track my activity. Years later, I realized that attitude made him a manager, not a leader.

Today, I bring sobering news: according to Gallup, employee engagement in the U.S. dropped to its lowest level in a decade in 2024. Only 31% of employees are engaged. That’s a failing grade in any classroom. Millions of people dread going to work, living only for the weekend. It’s painful to consider.

Most companies now measure engagement, yet so many believe “what gets measured gets managed.” They try to “manage” engagement, which is precisely why it continues to decline. True engagement requires inspiring and competent leadership.

Engagement is available in every employee, but it’s squandered if they aren’t being led well.

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is a concept that refers to the level of enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment employees feel toward their job and organization. It’s a measure of how invested employees are in their work and how motivated they are to contribute to the company’s success.

The majority of engagement surveys are typically categorized into three levels: engaged, not engaged, and actively disengaged.

Decoding Disengaged: What Employees Want

Think of a team with a highly effective leader, someone invested in culture, people, and results. Such leaders rarely struggle with engagement because their leadership style promotes and doesn’t tolerate disengagement.

Yes, it’s fair to put engagement on the shoulders of leaders. They are in the people business (at least for now.)

Leaders are in the people business (at least for right now).

So, what do employees really want?

1. Meaningful Work People need their efforts to have a purpose. Work doesn’t have to be easy, and long hours aren’t always avoidable, but employees want to know why they’re doing what they do.
2. Autonomous Flexibility COVID changed how we work. Employees want some level of autonomy and flexibility to balance life and give their best.
3. Competent Direction People need a clear vision, guided by skilled leadership. DoorDash’s CEO puts it well: “Be stubborn with the vision; be flexible with the path.” A team, by definition, works toward a common goal.

How Organizations Can Do Better

• Promote: Hire and advance people who genuinely care about leading others.
• Pay: Compensate at the highest level the business can support.
• Perks: Offer training for growth and the tools to be productive.
• Praise: Recognize effort and outcomes constantly

Closing

It’s time to change our language around engagement. No longer: “What gets measured, gets managed.” Now: “What we want improved needs leadership.”

If you’re an HR professional or executive focused on engagement, keep going. Your people are counting on your leadership.

Optimistic Outlook: Check out a free daily reminder to choose optimism over pessimism. A quick dose of uplifting content might be the precise trigger to neutralize those drips of negativity before they overflow.

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About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and The Sales Infrastructure. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.