Rethinking Everything We Know About Employee Engagement

Employee Engagement Is in Free Fall...Here’s Why

Employee engagement is at a 10-year low in the U.S., according to Gallup. Despite the billions spent on surveys and initiatives, companies are still struggling to build motivated, high-performing teams. Today, I sit down with Beverly Crowell, Managing Partner at Designed Learning and expert in organizational transformation, to unpack why traditional engagement strategies are failing and what needs to change.

Beverly is a kindred spirit and I am so grateful to have her on the show. Our conversion reminds me of an article I wrote in 2021 - Is Employee Unethical?  Beverly really drive home a point I made way back in 2021, "Empower your employees to do great work but do not put of this unnecessary pressure on your managers to make every employee feel special and known." Let's dive in!

From Satisfaction to Engagement to... Confusion

What does “employee engagement” even mean anymore?

Originally, the term evolved from “employee satisfaction,” which was focused on how happy employees felt. But over time, engagement came to be linked with performance, retention, and discretionary effort. Unfortunately, most organizations now blur these lines, turning engagement into a vague concept measured primarily by annual surveys.

As Crowell points out, “We’re treating symptoms...not the root cause.”

The Big Mistake: Putting Engagement Solely on Leaders

One of the most damaging narratives in workplace culture is that engagement is solely a leadership responsibility. Companies spend resources bringing in consultants and coaches to train managers on how to “engage” their teams but fail to equip employees to take ownership of their own engagement.

“The group missing from the engagement conversation is employees themselves,” says Crowell.

By placing all the accountability on managers, organizations and consultants like you and me have unintentionally conditioned employees to be passive... waiting to be engaged instead of being active participants in shaping their workplace experience.

Why Employee Engagement Surveys Often Miss the Mark

Surveys are often seen as the gold standard for measuring engagement, but they’re deeply flawed. Most survey questions are framed around what others are doing for the employee (e.g., “My manager provides learning opportunities”) rather than what the employee is doing to contribute.

And since surveys are just snapshots in time, results can be heavily skewed by short-term factors, like construction in the parking lot or a bad morning commute.

Introducing a Better Model: Positive Accountability

So, what’s the alternative?

Crowell advocates for a culture of positive accountability, one that shifts from a parental leadership model to a collaborative, adult-to-adult dynamic. Instead of doing things to or for employees, leaders and consultants must work with them.

Positive accountability means:

• Employees take responsibility for their growth, performance, and engagement

• Leaders create an environment that supports autonomy and initiative

• Both parties hold themselves accountable for results

It’s a partnership built on mutual respect and shared ownership.

Consultants, You’re Part of the Problem (and the Solution)

Consultants often reinforce outdated engagement models by positioning themselves as experts who diagnose and solve problems independently of their clients. But, as Crowell and I discuss, true consulting is about collaboration, not control.

You're not there to fix the client! You're there to co-create with them.

Drawing on principles from Flawless Consulting by Peter Block, we emphasize that consultants must:

• Influence through relationships, not just expertise

• Establish mutual agreements with clients (contracting for both results and collaboration)

• Model the kind of partnerships they want to see inside organizations

From “Pair of Hands” to Trusted Partner: The Role of Contracting

One of the most powerful shifts consultants can make is in how they contract with these types of clients. Not just legal contracts, but relational contracts that define how you'll work together.

Crowell suggests asking for:

1. Access to people and information

2. Freedom to offer an independent point of view

3. Permission to raise difficult issues

These asks model the culture of positive accountability consultants want to build inside the client organization.

Empowerment Isn’t Just for Employees, It’s for Organizations

The problem isn’t just with employee engagement, it’s with how we relate to power across the board. From leaders to consultants to frontline staff, we often fall into patterns of power over or power under. What’s missing is power with... a collaborative model where everyone shares responsibility and influence.

We don’t need organizational parents, we need partners.

Organizational Empowerment Over Engagement

It’s time to retire the outdated “employee engagement” model and embrace organizational empowerment. That means:

• Shifting from transactional surveys to ongoing, relational conversations

• Encouraging employees to take responsibility for their experience

• Training leaders to create space for adult-to-adult dialogue

• Positioning consultants as facilitators of transformation, not fixers

Learn More from Designed Learning

Beverly Crowell and the team at Designed Learning are on a mission to bring Peter Block’s principles to life through immersive workshops, including:

• Flawless Consulting

• Leader as Convener

• Empowered at Work

To learn more or register for upcoming masterclasses, visit www.designedlearning.com or connect with them on LinkedIn.

True transformation doesn’t come from better surveys or fancier perks, it comes from redefining how we work together. As consultants, coaches, and leaders, we must model the kind of trust, collaboration, and accountability we hope to cultivate in our clients and teams.

Because engagement isn’t something you give someone, it’s something we create together.

Are You Ready to Step Into Your Power as a Consultant

If this conversation challenged how I think about engagement and consulting, it’s time to take the next step.

Grab my free audio training + workbook: From Playing Small to Playing True
Get clear on your value, show up with confidence, and build a consulting business that reflects the impact you want to make. Access the audio training: https://www.betsyjordyn.com/opt-in 

About me: 

Betsy Jordyn is a brand messaging strategist and business mentor for purpose-driven consultants and coaches. With a background in organizational development—including a consulting career with Disney—she helps experts clarify their unique value, position themselves strategically, and build businesses that deliver impact, income, and personal fulfillment. Connect with Betsy Jordyn to clarify your message, elevate your brand, and attract the clients you're meant to serve. Start here → https://www.betsyjordyn.com/services