85% of managers say disengagement is damaging team productivity – Robert Walters
When asked how a disengaged colleague affected their performance, 60% of professionals said they would notice, and 21% said they would feel less motivated.
The engagement recession has started to slow down productivity across UK businesses, with 85% of managers saying disengagement is now taking a toll, according to Robert Walters’ Talent Trends 2026 guide.
More than half (57%) said their teams struggled to manage the impact.
The research found the problem is spreading to teams and now poses a risk to business performance.
Gerrit Bouckaert, CEO, recruitment at Robert Walters, said: “We’re seeing quiet cracking move from a personal issue to an organisational one.
“For managers, the engagement recession is one of the hardest challenges to address because the signs aren’t always obvious.
“The gradual breakdown of team performance, like projects taking longer to complete, fewer ideas being put forward in meetings, or more time spent on unblocking work that used to run smoothly, can easily go unnoticed.”
Bouckaert added: “Left unaddressed, that subtle shift can reshape overall team functionality, putting additional pressure on managers and creating performance gaps that are far harder to close over time.”
Only 10% of UK employees said they felt engaged at work, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce.
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