Every week, a new workplace trend emerges. First, there was "quiet quitting" then "snail girl era" and "resenteeism" and now "quiet vacationing" is in the spotlight. Though these terms dominate headlines and the WorkTok algorithm, they are just relatively new phrases to describe an age-old problem: rampant disengagement in the global workforce. Data from Gallup recently revealed the true magnitude of this issue, revealing roughly 75% of the global workforce is either not engaged or actively disengaged from their work. This staggering statistic not only shows how unhappy workers are but also how it's hurting the economy, costing a massive $8.9 trillion (about $27,000 per person in the US) in lost productivity every year.

Boosting employee engagement is far from an easy feat, but that is no excuse for inaction. Especially when Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) reveals that companies can boost engagement significantly with one key step: ensuring every employee receives meaningful monthly recognition. AWI data consistently validates monthly recognition as the top results driver. Organizations that meet this threshold for every employee, not only doubles self-reported productivity and employee engagement but also more than doubles the rate of belonging in their workforce, compared to organizations that recognize their employees quarterly or less. Investing in the power of recognition is a critical step that employers must take to not only enhance employee engagement but also build a more productive, committed and resilient workforce.