Archive · 24 Aug 2026
India's Workplace Engagement Crisis Points To Management Failures
A report says many workers in India are not very connected to their jobs.
Some workers do only what their job description requires, a behavior often called quiet quitting.
The report says this may cost India a great deal of lost productivity.
Managers are also becoming less engaged than before.
The article says companies often promote excellent workers into management without teaching them how to lead people.
Workers want clearer instructions, better coaching and more supportive teams.
They also want leaders to explain decisions and recognize good work.
The main idea is that companies should improve management instead of simply telling employees to care more.
A Gallup and Institute of Directors report says 23% of Indian employees are engaged, while 59% are not engaged.
Gallup estimates workplace disengagement costs India $351 billion annually, equivalent to about 9% of GDP.
Engagement among Indian managers fell from 39% in 2024 to 30% in 2025; among individual contributors, it fell from 24% to 19%.
The analysis argues that disengagement reflects weak communication, unclear expectations, poor recognition and inadequate management support rather than simply employee laziness.
Surveyed workers emphasize selecting managers for talent and role fit, stronger teamwork, better coaching, simpler technology and less complicated processes.
- Who
- Indian employees and managers, surveyed in a report by Gallup and the Institute of Directors.
- What
- The report found low workplace engagement and linked it to management and organizational shortcomings.
- When
- The report compares engagement figures from 2024 and 2025; the 2025 figures show the latest decline described.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The article attributes disengagement to unclear expectations, weak communication, inadequate coaching and recognition, complicated processes, and poor manager selection.
Employee-attitude explanation
Management-failure explanation
Cause of disengagement
Employee-attitude explanation
The conventional corporate response treats quiet quitting as a problem of employee effort, resilience or loyalty.
Management-failure explanation
The article argues that disengagement is mainly evidence of how an organization is managed, including whether work feels meaningful and decisions are explained.
Who should be held responsible
Employee-attitude explanation
Employees are expected to contribute more discretionary effort and reconnect with organizational goals.
Management-failure explanation
Companies should select people with management talent, provide coaching and authority, clarify expectations, recognize contributions and simplify work processes.
Preferred solution
Employee-attitude explanation
Organizations may respond with resilience workshops and culture initiatives aimed at changing employee attitudes.
Management-failure explanation
The article favors practical management improvements, such as better role fit, stronger teamwork, clearer communication and fewer unnecessary meetings.
- Organizations
- Gallup and the Institute of Directors
- Engaged employees
- 23% of Indian employees
- Not engaged employees
- 59% of Indian employees
- Estimated annual cost
- $351 billion in lost productivity
- Share of GDP
- About 9% of India's GDP
- Manager engagement
- 30% in 2025, down from 39% in 2024
- Individual-contributor engagement
- 19% in 2025, down from 24% in 2024