Remote workers feel less engaged at work. Here's how to fix that.

RossHelen // Shutterstock Employee engagement is at an 11-year-low, according to the latest data from Gallup. At the end of 2023, just 1 in 3 American employees reported being highly engaged. That number dropped by 3% of the total workforce in the first quarter of 2024, representing 4.8 million more workers joining the ranks of the disengaged.   While the rise of remote work may play a role, that’s not the only factor. A 2022 report from tech company Cisco found hybrid work led to better work-life balance, well-being, and company culture. In February 2023, 13.3% more people reported teleworking than in February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Working remotely offers employees greater flexibility, autonomy, and cost savings; is more sustainable for the planet with less need for travel; and may even encourage greater productivity, according to the BLS. That said, working away from coworkers also severely limits one of the five necessary components of the Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: fostering social connection. WorkTango compiled data from surveys, academic research, and other sources to find ways to increase engagement among remote employees. Virtual communication is challenged by the absence of body language, vocal inflections, or even technical difficulties. Therefore, it’s unsurprising that remote workers feel increasingly isolated. Half of workers who left their jobs attributed their resignation to their lack of a sense of belonging, according to McKinsey’s 2022 Great Attrition, Great Attraction survey. While leaders may cite this as a reason to push for a return to the office, nearly half (47%) of remote-working employees would rather find a new job, according to a 2023 Integrated Benefits Institute report. The answer, then, may lie in companies figuring out ways to increase employee engagement. Driving forces behind the Great Resignation are alive and well