Employee Engagement, Development and Mentoring. The report State of the Global Workplace 2026.

Gallup recently released the next edition of its State of the Global Workplace report – one of the most important surveys on the global labor market.

The conclusions? Disturbing. We are once again seeing a decline in employee engagement – in Europe and globally.

This is an important signal to organizations: the problem is no longer just stress or burnout. Increasingly, the challenge is something less visible, but just as threatening – a lack of energy, meaning and emotional connection to work. From this article, you’ll learn key insights from the latest Gallup report, as well as interesting solutions for supporting employees on a daily basis.

Global trend: engagement is falling

The report shows that globally the level of employee engagement is declining, and this is particularly evident among managers.

This is a significant change, as managers are the ones who have the most influence on teams, organizational culture and adaptation to change – including those related to AI and work transformation.

At the same time, high levels of stress and uncertainty persist in many regions of the world. Organizations today operate in an environment of constant change – technological, economic and geopolitical.

Low commitment but not high stress

The data for Europe is particularly interesting – and somewhat paradoxical.

On the one hand:

• Only about 7% of employees are engaged, he said.
• This result is significantly lower than the European (12%) and global (20%) averages.

On the other hand:

• The level of daily stress is about 22% (versus 40% globally), he said.
• levels of anger, sadness and loneliness are also lower than in Europe and the world.

What does this mean in practice? Poland is now a low-involvement market, not a burnout market, as you can often read in the media.

So the problem is not mainly overload, but rather:

• lack of a sense of purpose,
• Low level of identification with the organization,
• Limited emotional involvement in the work.

Biggest challenge: apathy instead of burnout

This is a very important distinction.

In many organizations it is assumed that the main problem of employees is stress. Meanwhile, the data shows otherwise – we are increasingly dealing with:

• “silent withdrawal” (quiet quitting),
• lack of initiative,
• action “at a minimum.”

This is a state in which the employee does not feel strong tension…but also does not see the point of engaging more.

And this is where one of the most important questions comes in: how to realistically increase employee engagement? Organizations now especially need solutions that work deeper than classic HR activities.

Mentoring as an answer to declining engagement

One of the most underrated, yet highly effective methods of building commitment is mentoring.

Why? Because mentoring works exactly where the report indicates the greatest gaps – in the areas of relationships, meaning and individual development Unlike many HR activities, which are massive and process-driven, mentoring gives the employee an experience tailored to their real needs, challenges and work context.

Moreover, mentoring builds something that is often lacking in organizations – a sense of being noticed and listened to. The mere presence of a mentor who gives time and attention has a huge impact on how an employee perceives his role and his place in the organization.

As a result, mentoring not only develops competence, but also strengthens the employee’s relationship with the organization – and it is this relationship that is one of the key foundations of engagement. If you want to learn more about employee mentoring, read this article.

What does mentoring give to employees?

Mentoring is not training and not a one-time initiative. It is a one-on-one relationship that:

• increases the sense of support,
• Helps organize career goals,
• gives space to talk about real challenges,
• Strengthens the sense of influence and agency.

As a result, the employee not only “does his job,” but begins to understand better:

• Why he is making it,
• Where it’s going,
• How it can develop.

This is the foundation of commitment.

Hard data: mentoring increases motivation and commitment

It’s not just intuition – the data confirms it. The Mentiway report “Mentoring through the Eyes of Participants,” based on a survey of participants in mentoring programs at companies and corporations, shows that as many as 65% of people cite increased motivation and commitment to work as one of the key benefits of participating in mentoring.

This is one of the most frequently cited effects – along with competence development or better handling of professional challenges. Importantly, this is not a temporary effect of “program freshness,” but a change resulting from a deeper understanding of one’s role, goals and direction. If you want to learn more about mentoring as a response to times of uncertainty, read this article.

Participants in mentoring are more likely to declare greater initiative at work, greater willingness to take on challenges and a more conscious approach to their careers. This shows that mentoring affects not only declarations, but the real behavior of employees in their daily work.

Why is mentoring working right now?

In the world:

• dynamic changes (AI, labor market transformation),
• uncertainties,
• The growing individualization of career paths,

employees need more than processes and tools.

They need:

• conversations,
• context,
• support “tailored to them.”

Mentoring responds to this need in a very natural way – which is why it is increasingly becoming one of the key elements of HR and L&D strategies. If you want to know the differences between mentoring, tutoring and coaching, read this article.

Summary: commitment will not return on its own

The State of the Global Workplace 2026 report makes it clear:

• Employee engagement is declining;
• The problem is not just stress, but lack of meaning and relationships.

This means that organizations must look for new ways to build engagement – more human, more relational and more individual. No longer are benefits, tools or individual development initiatives enough.

Engagement is built today primarily through the employee’s experience – whether they feel noticed, whether they see meaning in their work and whether they have room to grow in their relationships with others.

Mentoring is one of the most natural answers to this challenge, because it combines all of these elements in one process. In a world where technology is accelerating everything, it is the quality of the relationship that is beginning to determine an organization’s advantage. This is why mentoring is increasingly becoming a key component of modern HR and organizational development strategies.

Want to increase engagement in your organization?

If you see in yourself:

• A decline in the team’s energy,
• lack of initiative,
• Low commitment despite “good working conditions”

then it is very possible that the problem is not in the processes – but in the lack of relationships and a sense of purpose.

Mentoring can be exactly the element that changes this. Contact us – we can help you design a mentoring program that realistically increases employee engagement.

FAQ – employee engagement and mentoring

Why is employee engagement declining?

More often than not, it’s not about pay or benefits, but a lack of a sense of meaning, development and relationships at work. Today’s work environment is more uncertain, and employees need more support than before.

Does low stress mean that everything is working well?

No. The data show that it is possible to have a low stress situation with low engagement at the same time. This implies apathy rather than well-being.

How does mentoring affect employee engagement?

Mentoring increases the sense of support, helps with development and gives space to talk about real challenges. As a result, employees are more motivated and engaged in their work.

Does mentoring only work for select groups?

No. Mentoring works well for young employees as well as leaders or experts. It can be scaled to the entire organization.

How quickly do you see the effects of mentoring?

The first effects – such as greater engagement or better communication – often appear after just a few weeks. The full impact is seen over a longer period, as the mentoring relationship develops.

Can mentoring be implemented in a large organization?

Yes – especially with the support of a mentoring platform. This makes it possible to scale the program, monitor progress and ensure the quality of the entire process.