Firstup Report Reveals Engagement-Retention Paradox Among North American Workers
Event summary
- Firstup's State of Employee Engagement Report North America surveyed 3,093 U.S. and Canadian workers across corporate, manager, and hourly roles.
- 82% of corporate employees, 89% of managers, and 75% of hourly workers consider themselves engaged, yet 43%, 46%, and 40% respectively plan to seek new jobs within a year.
- 61%–67% of respondents across roles have missed important policy or procedural updates, with half of managers and hourly workers citing ineffective communication channels.
- 43% of corporate employees and 37% of managers spend three or more hours weekly searching for basic job-related information.
- Firstup highlights AI's potential to improve communication but notes that 60% of hourly workers have never used AI at work.
The big picture
Firstup's report underscores a growing disconnect between employee engagement and retention, driven by communication breakdowns and lack of trust in leadership. This trend highlights the critical need for organizations to invest in robust communication platforms and AI tools to foster a more stable and productive workforce. The findings are particularly relevant for industries with a significant frontline workforce, where communication inefficiencies can have a direct impact on safety and compliance.
What we're watching
- Communication Infrastructure
- How organizations will address ineffective communication infrastructure to retain engaged employees.
- AI Accessibility
- Whether companies can bridge the AI access gap for hourly workers to improve communication and productivity.
- Manager Workload
- The pace at which organizations will alleviate the communication burden on frontline managers to enhance workforce stability.
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