ABOUT THIS REPORT

The State of the American Workplace: Employee Engagement Insights for U.S. Business Leaders report highlights findings from Gallup’s ongoing study of the American workplace from 2010 through 2012. This is a continuation of Gallup’s previous report on the U.S. workplace covering 2008 through 2010. This latest report provides insights into what leaders can do to improve employee engagement and performance in their companies. It includes an overview of the trend in U.S. employee engagement, a look at the impact of engagement on organizational and individual performance, information about how companies can accelerate employee engagement, and an examination of engagement across different segments of the U.S. working population.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

While the state of the U.S. economy has changed substantially since 2000, the state of the American workplace has not. Currently, 30% of the U.S. workforce is engaged in their work, and the ratio of engaged to actively disengaged employees is roughly 2-to-1, meaning that the vast majority of U.S. workers (70%) are not reaching their full potential — a problem that has significant implications for the economy and the individual performance of American companies. Gallup’s research shows that employee engagement remains flat when left unmanaged. However, there are pockets of organizations in the U.S. that have figured out engagement, and some, like Gallup’s Great Workplace Award winners, are reaping the benefits of having more than five times the ratio of engaged to actively disengaged employees.

This report includes an overview of the trend in U.S. employee engagement, a look at the impact of engagement on organizational and individual performance, information about how companies can accelerate employee engagement, and an examination of engagement across different segments of the U.S. population. Findings from what the strongest organizations do differently provide insights into what any company can do to improve employee engagement and performance.

Through decades of research with hundreds of organizations and more than 25 million employees, Gallup leads the world in its unparalleled understanding of engagement’s impact on the workplace.