Despite significant investments in surveys, passive listening tools, and data analytics, U.S. employee engagement remains stagnant at historically low levels. This research explores why traditional engagement measurement strategies are falling short and what organizations must do differently. While HR departments have increased survey frequency to capture real-time employee sentiment, engagement rates have not improved, with only 30% of employees feeling engaged at work. A key issue is the perception that companies fail to act on feedback—over half of employees believe their input leads to little or no change. Additionally, surveys alone do not uncover the root causes of disengagement, and while focus groups offer deeper insights, they lack anonymity and scalability. To drive meaningful progress, companies must adopt a more holistic approach to employee listening. By integrating large-scale survey data with the qualitative depth of employee voice platforms (EVPs), organizations can gain a clearer understanding of workforce concerns and develop actionable solutions to improve engagement.
