Top 6 Employee Engagement Trends in 2021

Our Position

The ever-changing work environment of 2021 has left leaders wondering what to prioritize as they navigate uncertain business conditions and adapt to evolving employee needs.

The disruption and variability in employee engagement that we’ve uncovered over the past 18 months hasn’t been seen in recent history.

• In 2020, our data showed the highest levels of employee engagement we’ve seen in our research, with 77 percent of employees reporting high engagement.
• 2020 also marked the largest year over year growth with engagement up more than 3 percentage points from 2019.
• The highest monthly employee engagement peaks were in spring and fall of 2020 with 80 percent high engagement.

Key points:

1. Leaders lack transparent and effective communication around organizational change.

In January 2021, 78 percent of employees said they understand why their organization makes changes—by July, this figure dropped to 70 percent.

2. Trust in leadership declined after the height of the pandemic.

At its peak, about 9 in 10 employees trusted their senior leaders to lead the company to future success during the height of the pandemic. That figure has since dropped to 84 percent in May of 2021.

3. Work-life balance has been disrupted.

In spring and summer of 2020, an average of 87 percent of employees said their job gives them the flexibility to meet the needs of both their work and personal lives. By Q2 of 2021 only 81 percent agreed with this statement.

4. Organizations lack comprehensive employee health and wellbeing support.

In April through August of 2020, an average of 87 percent of employees said their culture supports their health and wellbeing. In Q1 of 2021, 86 percent of employees agreed, declining to only 82 percent in Q2.

5. Employee recognition is trending downward.

At the peak of the pandemic, 81 percent of employees said they know they would be recognized if they contribute to the organization's success. However, this sentiment dropped to 72 percent by May of 2021.

6. Career growth opportunities have become less clear.

At the beginning of 2021, 78 percent of employees reported they saw professional growth and career development opportunities for themselves in their organization. This has since declined with about 72 percent seeing these opportunities in May 2021.

About the Company