A new report from Mentimeter examines why valuable knowledge inside organizations often fails to reach the people who can act on it, and what leaders can do to change that. The findings point to an overlooked source of business value at a time when companies are spending heavily on AI and technology.

Based on more than 40 hours of in-depth interviews with HR and talent leaders, alongside global workplace research and organizational psychology, the Employee Engagement Crisis Report found recurring patterns: employees often know more than leaders hear, people become less willing to contribute when their input goes nowhere, and managers are expected to engage their teams while facing many of the same pressures themselves.

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Our new report looks at why only 1 in 5 people are engaged at work, what it’s costing organizations, and a practical way to turn it around. It draws on the latest research and interviews with business and HR leaders.

The findings come as employee engagement has fallen to 20% globally, its lowest level since 2020. Gallup estimates that low engagement cost the global economy around $10 trillion in lost productivity last year. At the same time, US spending on AI based products is projected to grow from around $230 billion in 2025 to more than $1.75 trillion by 2030.

““Everyone is looking at AI and asking where the next productivity gain will come from. I think there’s another question worth asking: how much value are we already leaving on the table?” says Johnny Warström, CEO and co-founder of Mentimeter. “Every company has people who see things that could work better, spot problems early or have ideas that never make it into the conversation. That’s a huge resource to leave untapped.”

What leaders can do about it

The report describes organizations as running two systems: the visible system of tools, workflows and structures, and what Mentimeter calls the invisible human system, which shapes how people participate, share what they know and respond to change.

It identifies four conditions leaders can act on to strengthen the human system and make better use of the knowledge already inside their organizations: Safety, Voice, Attention and Action.

“At Mentimeter, we work with 95% of the Fortune 500, and that has given us a unique perspective. Having smart people in the room doesn’t mean you’re hearing what they know. The question for leaders is whether they’re creating enough opportunities for that knowledge to surface, and whether they’re doing something about it when it does,” says Warström.

Get the full report here.

About Mentimeter

Mentimeter is an engagement company with a simple goal: to make every leader better. Through interaction, insights and recommendations, its platform helps organizations turn participation into better understanding and stronger performance.

Founded in Stockholm in 2012, Mentimeter is used by 20 million people each month across 1.3 million organizations.

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