Photo by Mikael Blomkvist: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-having-a-meeting-6476186/
A growing number of leaders admit they feel ill-equipped to keep their teams motivated, with new research revealing 70 per cent believe their organisation’s engagement strategy is falling short.
The findings come from the Kahoot! 2025 Workplace Engagement Report, which surveyed more than 200 HR and training managers in the US and UK. The report paints a picture of disengagement at both leadership and employee level, creating what researchers describe as a “vicious cycle” across the workforce.
Leaders under strain Almost half of leaders surveyed said they would give up their management role if it meant feeling more engaged at work. More than one in four admitted they had considered quitting in the past year because of disengagement.
Respondents identified emotional exhaustion as the biggest driver of this leadership “energy crisis”. Many reported feeling drained from the constant effort of trying to motivate disengaged employees.
Training and tools missing The research also revealed that many managers lack the training and resources to turn things around. More than half said they had never received substantial training on employee engagement, while only 17 per cent felt their company consistently provided effective tools to keep teams motivated.
Without these supports, leaders reported struggling to re-ignite enthusiasm, leaving both themselves and their employees at risk of burnout.
The Gen Z challenge The report highlights the growing complexity of engaging younger workers. Sixty-one per cent of leaders said Gen Z employees are the most difficult generation to keep engaged, while more than one in three cited this as their biggest cause of burnout.
Kahoot! suggests that approaches which feel accessible and relevant—such as gamification, microlearning and interactive content—are proving effective in engaging younger employees and easing the pressure on managers.
Workplace culture risk The findings echo wider concerns about workplace wellbeing and culture. If leaders are struggling to stay motivated, it not only weakens engagement among their teams but also risks higher turnover at senior levels.
The report concludes that organisations must invest in both people and tools to break the cycle. Equipping leaders with effective engagement strategies, training and resources is essential to sustaining workforce motivation and wellbeing.
