U.S. employee engagement dropped to 29% in the third quarter of 2026, a two-percentage-point decline from the previous quarter and its lowest level since 2011, according to a Gallup survey released Oct. 28. The steepest falls were among hybrid and remote employees at organizations adopting artificial intelligence.
The share of actively disengaged employees rose one percentage point to 18%, while 53% said they were not engaged. Gallup found that employees were less likely to say they understood what was expected of them or that someone at work cared about them as a person.
In the third quarter, 46% of employees strongly agreed they knew what was expected of them, down from 49% in each of the first two quarters of 2026. Just 37% strongly agreed that their supervisor or someone at work cared about them, compared with 40% in the first half of the year and a peak of 47% in March 2020.
Gallup has tracked engagement since 2000, when 26% of U.S. employees were engaged. The figure reached 36% in 2020 before declining. The report said employees who are not engaged or are actively disengaged tend to feel psychologically disconnected from their work and employer.
The findings add to concerns that manager support and communication may not be keeping pace with AI adoption. Gallup suggested that physical distance may contribute to psychological distance between employees and organizations, a concern it said has grown as more workplaces adopt AI. The report also noted that engaged employees are more likely to make additional efforts toward organizational goals.
Sources: HR Dive.