Productivity is rising, engagement is falling. What is happening to the psyche of people at work?
May 25, 2026
Current Gallup data for 2026 shows that while organizations report increasing productivity, employees are experiencing higher levels of stress and decreasing engagement. In an interview with corporate psychologist and coach Kristýna Cetkovská, we looked at specific data from this year's report and commented on how this data resonates in the Czech Republic.
Engagement has fallen to 20% globally, and this is the first two-year decline in history. What do you think has fundamentally changed in the world of work?
I think one of the biggest drivers is the rapid spread of AI. We are already seeing a number of examples of massive layoffs, and maintaining a strong relationship with your job and company is simply challenging in such an atmosphere. People are questioning their professions or their future career path in general, and their engagement is naturally decreasing.
If 64% of employees are not engaged and 16% are actively or even completely disengaged, what does this really mean for the psyche of people at work?
Engagement is about our relationship with work. It is about how we are able to immerse ourselves in it, dedicate ourselves to it, and devote significant energy to it. If we are not engaged at work, it affects several other variables, such as how much we feel dedicated to our work, how proactive and creative we are, and how we can withstand difficult moments. If our engagement is low, everything is so-called withering away. Our tasks, projects, and relationships with colleagues are simply not given enough attention.
Low engagement costs the economy about $10 trillion a year. Can this number be translated into human terms? What does it cost an individual?
Low engagement is not just an economic problem for companies, but a very specific experience for employees. For people, it often means a loss of energy, a weaker sense of meaning, and a gradual disconnection from work, which becomes more of a duty than a source of fulfillment. People thus have a harder time coping with difficult times or are more likely to slip into conflicts.
How does this relate to anxiety, burnout, or a sense of loss of meaning at work?
Work engagement is a positive state. It is what basically everyone wants at work. Both employees and employers. It is therefore the opposite of burnout, or possibly anxiety or a sense of loss of meaning at work. This tells us that if we are currently engaged in our work, we cannot burn out at the same time. These are two contradictory states.
Interestingly, 65% of people say that AI helps them be more productive, but companies hardly see the effect. What psychological paradox is hidden behind this?
Yes, there is the so-called productivity paradox behind this, which has already been described for technologies other than AI. Employees feel that a new technology is helping them, but this may not be reflected at the company level for a long time. Technology itself may not guarantee productivity. The real impact only comes when the way of working, processes, and company culture also change.
Can this discrepancy between personal experience and the reality of the company increase frustration?
Yes, it can. Frustration from unachieved results most often starts with management, but it is transferred very strongly to its employees. In everyday reality, managers are pushing for better results, the atmosphere in teams is declining, and frustration or anxiety among people is increasing.
Only 12% of people feel that AI has really changed their work. Can this lead to a feeling of stagnation or disappointment from unfulfilled expectations?
Personally, I think that AI is more associated with fears and threats of job loss than with people wishing it would make their work even easier. Overall, however, I think that in society we are still mentally set up to see and wait for what will happen, even though real changes are already happening.
Manager engagement is significantly decreasing, and at the same time, they are key to the success of teams. How does the mental state of a manager transfer to the team?
Very, very, very. The manager is simply one of the most significant elements that affect the overall atmosphere, productivity, and engagement of the team. The attitude he has towards his work/team is directly reflected in it. Of course, there are exceptions to very autonomous teams. And so, when he himself is not feeling well, he naturally cannot perform his work at such a high level, and it requires strong communication skills to keep his team together.
Data shows that manager support dramatically increases AI adoption. Why does the relationship with the supervisor have such a strong influence on how people perceive change?
Not only during periods of change in teams, but the manager also ensures psychological safety, a sense of security, and motivation, and at the same time translates what the team can expect in the near future. The role of the manager is critical for accepting change, and in practice, unfortunately, they are very often insufficiently supported in ensuring that their team manages to implement the change well.
Less than a third of employees feel supported by their manager in the area of AI. How does such a lack of support affect people's security and psychological security?
If a company introduces such a significant change as AI, it is good to expect a decrease in the feeling of security among its people. This is again very much connected to people's performance and their relationship to work. If we lack security, we are not able to devote ourselves to work as much, devote ourselves to care, etc. Mentally, the uncertainty takes away a large amount of capacity from us (e.g., we constantly think about an uncertain situation), which is then missing in our tasks and projects.
Up to 40% of people experience stress every day, and negative emotions are higher than before COVID. How does this translate into work performance?
I think that many of us are currently experiencing a negative atmosphere at work. If we ourselves experience higher stress or do not feel well, we are not able to do our work well. We easily slip into mistakes, conflicts, or tension with colleagues, or simply reduce our efforts to a minimum and do only the most necessary.
18% of people are afraid that they will lose their jobs due to AI. How does such uncertainty affect the long-term psyche of employees?
In the long term, we can notice several changes with a high level of uncertainty. For example, people detach from their profession and make decisions that they expect to be more beneficial for them in the future. This means that they reduce their work involvement and, at the same time,e may look for other employment.
You can find livestream recordings along with other interesting articles, meditations, tests, and educational materials on the MySoulmio platform. Find out what Soulmio's online mental health program for businesses offers and how it can support your business.
Kristýna is a psychologist, coach, and last but not least, a doctoral student in Psychology at Charles University. Her field of expertise is the work and corporate environment, in which she focuses on employee development and engagement. Her efforts and activities are aimed at helping people feel better at work and develop more easily. At the research level, she then focuses on the topic of employee mental health, along with factors that can strengthen it in the long term. She meaningfully connects her practical and theoretical fields.
