Engagement Versus Quiet Quitting: Why Neither Is Improving

Engagement Versus Quiet Quitting: Why Neither Is Improving

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When Dell reviewed the results of its 2025 employee survey, leaders were confronted with numbers that were far worse than expected. The company’s employee net promoter score, a measure of how willing people are to recommend Dell as a place to work, had dropped to 32 from 63 just two years earlier. Employees pointed to layoffs, heavier workloads, and a strict return-to-office policy as reasons they felt less connected to their work. Some described the culture as less flexible and less compassionate than it had been in the past. This was not the outcome anyone expected after years of investment in flexible work programs, engagement surveys, and recognition initiatives. It highlights a reality many organizations face. Even when companies spend heavily on improving engagement, the results often fall short, and employees describe themselves as doing only what is required, a pattern many now call quiet quitting. The question leaders are asking now is what kind of workplace culture can turn that around.

What Can Dell Teach About Engagement?

Dell’s story offers an important reminder. A company can invest heavily in surveys, flexible schedules, and recognition programs and still face declining engagement. That does not make those efforts meaningless, but it shows that engagement cannot be treated as a set of isolated programs. Employees want to feel connected to their work in ways that go beyond perks. At Dell, policies that once signaled flexibility were replaced with stricter requirements, which employees interpreted as less trust and less autonomy. Engagement slipped because the culture did not encourage open dialogue about the changes or genuine exploration of alternatives.

Why Do Engagement Scores Stay Flat Despite Investments?

Across the United States in 2024, only 31 percent of employees were engaged at work, while 17 percent were actively disengaged. Globally, engagement was just 21 percent. These numbers have barely moved over the years despite billions spent on wellness programs, leadership training, and recognition systems. The problem is that programs often sit on the surface. They are designed to boost satisfaction, but they do not change how people experience daily life at work. Engagement grows when employees feel that leaders are interested in their perspective, that their questions are valued, and that they have room to think about new ways of doing things. Without that, engagement scores plateau no matter how much is invested.

What Is The Different Between Quiet Quitting, Revenge Quitting, And Engagement?

Quiet quitting became a viral phrase because it put words to what many employees were already doing. People reported that they were doing their jobs but nothing extra. At Dell, employees described the same kind of withdrawal. They were present, but they weren’t volunteering ideas or stretching themselves. It was a response to feeling overworked, under-heard, and uncertain that extra effort would be noticed. Quiet quitting is not separate from engagement. It reflects what happens when employees stop believing their extra effort makes a difference. When employees are so unhappy they leave, there is another emerging term called revenge quitting. That refers to when people resign in frustration because trust and connection are lost. To understand the difference between these terms, think of them this way: Engagement means employees feel connected and committed to their work, quiet quitting describes when they do only what is required without extra effort, and revenge quitting is when frustration leads them to resign altogether. Whether employees leave quietly or dramatically, the root cause is the same: engagement strategies that do not align with the cultural issues driving disengagement.

What Role Does Curiosity Play In Engagement?

Curiosity research shows that organizations benefit financially when they encourage questioning and exploration. One study found that 80 percent of small and midsize companies saved more than $100,000 annually and 100 percent of larger organizations saved more than $1,000,000 from curiosity-driven initiatives. Curiosity builds engagement because it signals to employees that their input matters. When leaders ask real questions, listen carefully, and act on what they learn, employees are more willing to bring energy and commitment to their work.

How Could Dell Have Approached Engagement Differently?

Consider Dell’s return-to-office mandate. Rather than presenting it as a directive, leaders could have engaged employees with questions about how to balance collaboration and flexibility. By showing curiosity about how policies affect daily work, they could have built trust and reduced resistance. The same principle applies to workloads after layoffs. Instead of assuming managers would absorb the change, leaders could have asked teams what obstacles they faced and what support they needed. These kinds of conversations take time, but they prevent disengagement and create shared ownership.

What Practical Steps Can Leaders Take To Build Engagement Through Curiosity?

Leaders can begin with small, consistent actions that show genuine interest in employees’ ideas:

• Ask open-ended questions in meetings and give space for responses without rushing to solutions.
• Recognize not just results but also the effort of exploring new ideas.
• Use rephrasing techniques to confirm that employee input has been understood correctly.
• Create visible follow-up loops so employees see what happens with their suggestions.
• Dedicate time for teams to explore different approaches without penalty for trying.

Each of these practices signals that curiosity is valued. Over time, that builds an environment where employees feel their voices matter, which strengthens engagement and reduces the likelihood of quiet quitting.

Why A Culture Of Curiosity Changes Engagement

The Dell example is a reminder that even with significant investment, engagement can fall if employees do not believe their needs are being met. Programs and policies matter, but they cannot replace culture. Curiosity is what shifts culture. It creates space for employees to question, contribute, and feel included in shaping outcomes. When leaders model curiosity and respond to it consistently, employees feel more comfortable sharing their concerns and insights. Quiet quitting fades because employees no longer feel the need to withdraw. Instead, they see their effort and ideas can lead to real change.