Updated: July 14, 2025
Ask ACE
Ask ACE: How can leaders help employees stay focused and engaged?
By Francis Eberle, Price Associates
Q: With the current uncertainty, what do employees want from their leaders to be focused and engaged in their work?
ACE advises: Finding the right people, products and services to sustain and grow an organization is an ongoing challenge. Today’s rapidly shifting generational workplace dynamics shaped by economic pressures, constant communication and information overload add to the complexity. If not addressed, these conditions can drive employee disengagement.
A 2024 Gallup survey revealed that only 31% of U.S. employees are engaged at work, the lowest level in a decade. Several factors illustrate this decline:
- Role clarity: Just 46% of employees clearly understand what’s expected of them, down from 56% in 2020.
- Perceived care: Only 39% feel someone at work cares about them, a drop from 47%.
- Development support: A mere 30% strongly agree that someone encourages their growth, compared to 36% in 2020.
The decline is most pronounced among employees under 35, particularly Gen Z. Manager engagement has also dropped to 31%, matching the overall rate. Yet managers are critical to engagement — accounting for 70% of team engagement variance. Unfortunately, many are promoted based on technical skills rather than leadership, and only 44% receive formal training.
What can leaders do and address what employees want? Coach and author Erica Keswin suggest three key connections:
- Connect to purpose: Help employees see how their work supports the company’s mission.
- Connect to people: Foster collaboration and community with projects for teams so employees feel part of something bigger than individual tasks.
- Connect to self: Support employees in uncovering self-awareness and how they want to grow — revealing talents that can benefit the organization.
Lastly as reported by Gallup in 2025, 56% of employees want leaders who demonstrate hope, 33% want leaders they can trust, and 12% who have stability.
By creating these connections and conditions, leaders will demonstrate hope, strengthen engagement, morale, and performance across their teams. What actions will you take?
ACE board member Francis Eberle, of Price Associates, is a leadership and organizational advisor, speaker and author. He can be reached at francis@price-associates.com
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