Are we in a workplace culture crisis? If you work in HR or leadership, you don’t need data to tell you something feels “off” right now. You’re living it. Hearing it. Trying to fix it. Culture has always been important, but lately, it feels like something is off.
So…are we in a workplace culture crisis? In my opinion, yes. And I don’t say that lightly. A recent Gallup report indicates that only 31% of employees are engaged, meaning fewer than one in three workers feel fully involved and enthusiastic at work. This is the lowest level in 10 years of Gallup tracking.
Let’s break down what’s going on and what leaders can do about it.
Why Culture Feels So Turbulent Right Now
The last five years have been unlike anything we’ve ever experienced in the workplace. We’ve been through:
- A global pandemic
- The Great Resignation
- Quiet quitting (and it’s kissin’ cousins: quiet firing and quiet cracking)
- Political and social divides in the workplace
- Rapid shifts between remote, hybrid and in-office expectations
- A mental health crisis
- Waves of layoffs and uncertainty
Putting together this list wore me out. It’s no wonder culture feels fragile. People are exhausted, stretched and disconnected.
The Most Common Signs of a Culture Crisis
Across organizations of all sizes and industries, these patterns keep showing up. When you see several at once, it’s a red flag:
- Lack of Accountability: Lack of clarity, consequences and follow-through creates resentment and frustration. People are avoiding hard conversations and conflict, which results in problems simmering under the surface.
- People Feeling Undervalued: Recognition seems to be particularly overlooked right now.
- Manager Ineffectiveness: Many managers aren’t well equipped to lead in general – especially through change, burnout, conflict and/or hybrid/remote work.
- Trust Erosion: Whether it’s inconsistent communication, shifting priorities or unclear expectations, trust takes a hit.
- Employees Running on Fumes: Stress, unrealistic workloads and “doing more with less” are catching up. Quiet cracking (the latest “quiet”) has emerged where people are doing their jobs but are quietly breaking under the pressure.
What can you do?
If you suspect your team or organization is drifting toward a culture crisis, here are five simple, high-impact actions that move the needle:
- Get serious about manager development – Managers drive so many of these things and are the “culture carriers.”
- Improve recognition – Feeling appreciated is a basic human need. Consider a gratitude challenge or thank you notes to kickstart recognition in your organization.
- Focus on employee well-being – Let employees know that you care about their well-being through empathy, caring conversations and mental health support.
- Make accountability normal – Equip leaders to communicate clear expectations and hold others accountable through feedback, goals and regular check-ins.
- Get employee feedback – Last but certainly not least, ask employees what they think is needed most to positively impact the culture, and then do that!
Culture is definitely fixable with intention, honesty and consistency.
