Indian employees are increasingly stepping back before they step out. India’s worker engagement fell to 19% in 2025, a sharp drop that suggests many are doing the minimum before eventually moving on.
On April 8, 2025, ADP Research reported that workforce engagement in India slid to 19%, down from 24% in 2024—the steepest decline among markets it tracked. The firm warned that low engagement can sap productivity and accelerate attrition if employers don’t respond with better leadership, development and flexibility. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace adds a wider lens: global engagement fell two points to 21% in 2024, a reversal that Gallup ties in part to faltering manager engagement. In practice, disengaged employees often scale back effort and initiative—what many now shorthand as “quiet quitting.” Global engagement fell to 21% in 2024, underscoring that the pullback isn’t unique to any one region.
While Gen Z frequently grabs headlines, the slump reaches older cohorts too. ADP’s India cut of its People at Work 2025 series shows the youngest workers (18–26) are the least engaged, but overall engagement remains low across age groups. Middle‑aged cohorts show somewhat higher engagement, yet not enough to offset the national decline. Gallup’s 2025 analysis likewise finds the strain most visible among managers—who span generations—suggesting the issue is structural, not merely generational.
Culture and flexibility are proving decisive. Randstad’s 2025 Workmonitor, released January 21, 2025 and fielded across 35 markets including India, found that nearly half of workers have left a job over a poor culture and that a meaningful share have exited roles lacking flexibility. The same survey shows employees are willing to walk when they don’t feel they belong or when values don’t align. In short, workers often disengage first—then vote with their feet. 44% have quit over a toxic workplace, and many more indicate flexibility is a non‑negotiable.
For employers in India, the near‑term playbook is clear: stabilize the manager layer, make expectations and recognition explicit, and offer credible flexibility where roles allow. Investment in skills development and team belonging can raise engagement, while small, measurable wins—like clearer goals and more frequent coaching—can rebuild momentum before disengagement hardens into attrition.