The Great Detachment: Are Your Team Members Quietly Breaking?
Work-Life Warfare: Winning the Battle for Your Team's Engagement
We learned during the pandemic that flexibility matters, yet here we are pushing 60-hour office weeks while employee satisfaction plummets. Your team won't always tell you they're reaching their breaking point. They'll just quietly detach—taking their talent, creativity, and passion with them when they go.
I was reviewing the latest workplace statistics yesterday when something caught my eye. According to recent data, the number one reason people are accepting new jobs isn't salary or career advancement—it's work-life balance and personal wellbeing.
This shouldn't surprise us. Employee satisfaction is at a record low, with Gallup appropriately calling this phenomenon "The Great Detachment." Workers aren't just quitting jobs; they're emotionally disconnecting from their work in unprecedented numbers.
Pandemic Lessons Forgotten
We collectively discovered during the pandemic that flexibility isn't just nice to have—it's essential for sustainable productivity and mental health. Yet here we are in 2025, with many organizations reverting to rigid structures and demanding 60-hour workweeks in offices.
I'm concerned about where this disconnect will lead us. As I work with leadership teams across industries, I'm seeing warning signs that many don't recognize in their own organizations.
The Breaking Point Is Closer Than You Think
As a leader, your team members may be approaching a breaking point without showing obvious signs. Unlike previous workforce shifts, today's disengagement often happens silently. People don't dramatically quit—they quietly withdraw their discretionary effort, creativity, and passion.
Consider these warning signs I'm observing in organizations:
Meeting attendance with cameras off and minimal participation
Decreased innovation and creative problem-solving
Compliance without enthusiasm
Minimal cross-team collaboration
Conversations about work focusing solely on logistics rather than purpose
What Can Leaders Do?
If any of this resonates with you, here are four actionable steps you can take this week:
Schedule genuine check-ins that go beyond project updates. Ask open-ended questions about work satisfaction and listen without defending current policies.
Audit your flexibility practices against your stated values. Are you truly supporting wellbeing, or just talking about it?
Measure outcomes, not hours. Define what success looks like based on results, not presence or activity.
Lead by example. Show your own commitment to sustainable work practices by respecting boundaries and prioritizing wellbeing.
The organizations that will thrive in this new era won't be those demanding the most hours—they'll be those creating environments where people can bring their best selves to meaningful work without sacrificing their health and relationships.
I'd love to hear what you're seeing in your organization. Are you experiencing the Great Detachment, or have you found ways to foster genuine engagement?
#EmployeeEngagement #WorkLifeBalance #LeadershipInsights #TheGreatDetachment