What You Can Do About the Great Detachment: 8 Critical Responses

Employees have increasingly become detached from their work, many holding on by a thread.

Gallup researchers coined it the Great Detachment some time ago. And, as HR pros, you’ve likely experienced it before and now.

What is The Great Detachment?

Many frustrated employees don’t want to try to leap into a new company as the job market continues to cool. So they aren’t quitting en masse like in The Great Resignation. Instead, they feel stuck and whittle away at their jobs in discontent.

For you, it might look like turnover has slowed, but that may not be good news. Instead, you could run into — if you haven’t already — a dip in employee productivity. And you might see a talent loss down the road. Plus, as employees become more detached from their work, they’re less likely be willing to adapt and change as the organization does. Then they’re more likely to meet you with indifference or resistance.

Defeat the Great Detachment

The problem is real. According to MyPerfectResume’s Great Detachment Report:

• 79% of employees feel some degree of detachment from their work
• 44% of employees feel lonely at work always or often, and
• 56% of those feeling lonely say it decreases their productivity.

Work isn’t working for many people.

“The current state of the economy and job market has left employees feeling frozen in place, and employers are failing them by not doing the basics like recognizing someone for a job well done or holding weekly check-ins to see where employees are struggling and succeeding,” says Dr. Meisha-ann Martin, VP of People Research at Workhuman. “Without these simple yet crucial practices, engagement slips, morale drops, and employees are left feeling disconnected and unappreciated.”

HR pros and front-line leaders want to help employees feel connected and engaged where they are now to avoid further disengagement and turnover.

Here are eight ways to reconnect and re-engage.

1. Check In With Employees Often

“The very first thing to do is to try to understand why an employee has become detached,” says Martin.

At a higher level, try employee surveys to understand what’s going on with the broader population.

From there, managers want to keep a constant pulse on how their employees are. Martin suggests simple yet meaningful questions:

• How are you really doing?
• How are you doing on a scale of 1-10? and
• How can I best support you right now?

“By listening with empathy and extending grace and support when needed, leaders can dismantle barriers, replace whispers with transparency, and cultivate a workplace where employees feel seen, valued, and connected,” says Martin. “These check-ins open the door for real, authentic relationships to be built, strengthening an employee’s sense of belonging and purpose at work.”

2. Create a Listening Strategy

Take those check-ins one step further with an actual listening strategy so you find out if employees are becoming detached – and which factors contribute to it.

From a macro perspective, HR wants to constantly communicate your desire and need for employees to use their voices and fill out surveys. You want to share results and explain the direct actions you’ll take in response to the feedback. 

On a micro level, equip leaders with the tools to conduct regular pulse checks on individual needs.

“By preemptively addressing challenges at both the organizational level and through leaders’ relationships with their direct reports, organizations can tackle issues before they escalate,” says Martin. 

3. Create a Culture of Development

Employees will more likely remain engaged with their work and organization when they know where they’re headed. That’s why experts at Instant Offices suggest that companies give employees a clear career development path within the organization. Every person’s path will be different, and it likely should be reviewed at least yearly to be sure employees are on the right path for them.

Use training programs, mentorship initiatives, and in-house and off-site opportunities for employees to gain new skills.

4. Recognize Employees More

“Sometimes the smallest gestures are the ones that have the biggest impact,” says Martin.

A recent Workhuman-Gallup report found just 22% of employees feel they get the right amount of recognition.

That leaves a lot of room for more recognition. If it doesn’t come naturally, encourage front-line managers to note on calendars to send out praise. The more they do it, the more it will come naturally.

5. Celebrate Bigger Moments

Along the lines of increasing employee recognition, celebrate the good in employees’ lives outside of work – for instance, races run, art displayed, children accepted to choice schools, babies born, vows made, homes bought, etc.

“This approach highlights that we appreciate and admire employees as whole people, rather than just their contributions to the organization,” says Martin. “When we celebrate each other beyond the job titles, we create a culture of connection, support and genuine care.”

6. Clarify Work Priorities

Employees become detached when their priorities are unclear or there’s a blurry line between their contributions and the goals of an organization.

“Without a clear understanding of how their work ladders up to the top, an employee’s sense of purpose and value begins to diminish,” says Martin.

Front-line leaders want to help employees bridge the gap by reinforcing the why behind their work. How? 

The Gallup researchers found the best leaders and managers:

• Clarify and model the mission and values of the organization
• Help employees see how they contribute to something bigger
• Ask employees to share stories about what makes them proud of their work, and
• Ensure the employee experience is delivering on the company’s mission and values.

7. Develop Managers

Help managers – the people who have the most impact on most of your employees – develop skills and their careers.

“We often say people can’t pour from empty cups and yet many organizations are guilty of expecting managers to do just this,” says Martin. “When 70% of the variance in a team’s engagement is related to management, this is a losing strategy.”

She suggests companies include managers in engagement strategies and enable them to execute all of those. That includes equipping managers with tools, money and support to engage their teams.

8. Review Compensation

When employees feel they’re fairly compensated and are able to maintain a work-life balance, they’re more likely to be engaged.

According to the MyPerfectResume study, to feel connected again:

• 47% of employees want better work-life balance or flexibility
• 45% want increased pay or benefits
• 44% called for clearer communication and direction from leadership, and
• 34% wanted more recognition.

So, yes, money talks. Money connects.

“Workplace detachment poses a major risk to businesses aiming to retain top talent and maintain productivity,” says Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume. “Employees want to feel valued, heard, and supported in their roles. Leaders who prioritize engagement through clear expectations, fair compensation, and a strong company mission will see stronger retention and productivity.”