Unhappy Workers Cost US Firms $1.9 Trillion
Employees are checking out post-pandemic in a massive hit to productivity, according to research by Gallup.
Only a third of US employees surveyed by Gallup said they were engaged at work.
Photographer: Delmaine Donson/E+/Getty ImagesDisgruntled employees cost US companies an estimated $1.9 trillion in lost productivity last year, according to research from Gallup that puts a price tag on workplace unhappiness.
That eye-popping figure stems from more Americans feeling detached from their employers in the aftermath of the pandemic. A measure of engagement from Gallup’s surveys had been steadily rising for a decade, but peaked in 2020. The disruption of the past few years reduced satisfaction in the workplace, with more employees saying they don’t clearly know what’s expected of them — a symptom that reduces engagement.