Our Work
Is employee engagement really in crisis?
Not according to the latest data from The People Experience Hub. Our 2025 Insights Report, based on 42 employee surveys across a range of clients and powered by our framework and AI, reveals a more nuanced and hopeful picture of the modern workplace.
Here are 10 key insights, backed by data, that may challenge your assumptions and offer some food for thought for HR and leadership teams.
1. The Engagement Crisis? Not So Fast.
Despite headlines suggesting we’re all disengaged, our average engagement score sits at 71%, only slightly down from 73% in 2024. Over the past four years, scores have fluctuated by just 2–4 points, suggesting that while there’s room to improve, there’s no employee engagement crisis.
2. However, Motivation and Loyalty Are Slipping
Digging deeper into the elements of engagement, while people were more likely to recommend their employer as a great place to work (up 2.8 points) they could be more easily tempted to move elsewhere, while motivation scores also dipped from 74.1% to 71.1%.
3. Pride, Enjoyment & Belonging Drive Engagement
Employees who feel proud (73%), enjoy being at work (73%), and feel they belong (71%) are significantly more likely to be engaged. These emotional drivers are central to the Px3 framework’s “Feel” dimension.
4. Trustworthy Leadership Matters—More Than Ever
Trust in senior leaders scored 69%, and organisations that support work-life balance (65%) and contribute to the local community (69%) see higher engagement. These “Think” factors shape how people feel and behave at work.
5. Not All Engagement Questions Are Equal
While most of the engagement questions had shared drivers there were differences in their order of influence, while some were unique. This highlights the importance of choosing a rounded measure of engagement rather than a single question.
6. Even Good Things Can Backfire
- We saw surprising negative correlations:
- Having a manager that cares about you can reduce motivation
- Attractive benefits may lower retention
- Confidence in the direction of the business can also lower motivation
Of course, correlation isn’t causation, but we had some fun exploring potential reasons for these ‘paradoxical’ results.
7. Line Managers Deserve More Credit
Line management scored 74.5%, the highest of all “Think” indices. Employees rate their managers highly for respect (79%), support (75%), and care (75%) - contrary to common perceptions.
8. What People Say They Like Isn’t What Engages Them
In free-text comments, Connection (7,273 mentions), Line Management (2,165), and Teamwork (1,964) dominate. But these themes, while valued, aren’t the strongest engagement drivers—highlighting the gap between satisfaction and strategic impact.
9. What People Complain About Isn’t Always What Matters Most
Top improvement themes include Communication (2,616 mentions), Pay and Reward (2,480), and Organisational Effectiveness (2,344). These are often sources of frustration and or need improving, but our quantitative results suggest they’re not necessarily what fuels engagement.
10. Women and Men Are Engaged by Similar Things… Mostly
Women score slightly higher overall (71.3% vs 70.1%) but share many of the same engagement drivers as men. There are differences, though. Women value inclusion, being listened to, and enjoyment more. Men lean toward accomplishment, development, and clarity of direction. These nuances can inform tailored EVP strategies.