Why Most Employees Aren’t Thriving and What You Can Do About It

Motivation is a magical thing. It’s a sweet spot where people feel compelled to act, driven by the promise of something meaningful, whether that’s a promotion, a sense of purpose, or simply the satisfaction of a job well done. But motivation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s a delicate balance of internal drive and external conditions. And right now, that balance is off.

As organizations continue to shift back toward pre-pandemic norms (mandating more in-office time, reducing flexibility, and leaning heavily on technology without always offering corresponding rewards) many employees are asking a very reasonable question: What’s in it for me?

Despite optimistic messaging from leadership about the benefits of in-person collaboration and renewed energy, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Many employees feel overwhelmed, overworked, and under-supported. Autonomy is shrinking. Trust is eroding. And motivation? It’s dwindling.

At Wiley Workplace Intelligence, we wanted to understand what motivation looks like in today’s workplace. Who’s feeling it? Who isn’t? And how does stress factor into the equation? We surveyed over 1,500 professionals to find out, and what we discovered should serve as a wake-up call for leaders everywhere.

What we found was clear: most people aren’t thriving. And if leaders don’t act, the cost will be more than just morale; it’ll be performance, retention, and long-term resilience.

Stress Is the New Normal

Stress has become so common in the workplace that it’s easy to overlook. But it’s not just background noise, it’s a force that shapes how people show up, how they think, and how they perform.

We found that three out of four employees are experiencing moderate to severe stress. That’s not just a wellness issue; it’s a productivity issue. When stress becomes chronic, it narrows focus, drains energy, and makes it harder to collaborate or innovate. People aren’t just tired, they’re tapped out. As we covered last month, the "change cascade crisis" is taking a toll on people and it’s time leaders listen to how their people are feeling amidst this relentless change.

And yet, many organizations continue to pile on more pivots, more complexity, and more expectations without adjusting the support systems in place. The result? A workforce that’s stretched thin and losing its sense of purpose. In the grand scheme of corporate trends, leaders may not see a reason to go against the tide of increasingly stringent cultural norms and profit-driven priorities, but when the pendulum swings back (and it always does), will they have a committed, motivated, and engaged workforce left?

The Motivation-Stress Equation

Motivation and stress don’t operate in silos, they impact each other dramatically and depending on how they combine, they can either fuel performance or accelerate burnout.

One of the most telling findings from our study was this: only 17% of employees are in the “sweet spot” of high motivation and manageable stress. These are the people who are energized, focused, and able to sustain their performance over time.

But most employees fall outside that zone. Some are highly motivated but under intense pressure which is an unsustainable combination that often leads to burnout. Others are both stressed and unmotivated, which is a strong predictor of turnover. These aren’t just HR concerns, they’re business risks.

The Tenure Trap

Motivation doesn’t stay static; it shifts over time. And one of the most overlooked patterns we found was what we call the “tenure paradox.”

New hires tend to start strong. They’re excited, eager to contribute, and full of potential. But that energy often fades around the two- to five-year mark. In fact, mid-career employees reported the lowest motivation scores of any group.

This dip isn’t about laziness or lack of ambition; it’s about unmet expectations. These employees are often at peak productivity, but they’re also navigating stalled development, unclear career paths, and increasing demands. They’re the backbone of teams and they’re quietly burning out.

Veteran employees show a slight rebound in motivation, but many are still at risk. They’ve weathered change after change, and while they bring deep knowledge, they often feel overlooked or underutilized.

Why Motivation Deserves More Attention

It’s easy to think of motivation as a “nice to have,” something that’s great when it’s there but not essential, but the data tells a different story.

When employees are motivated, the ripple effects are enormous. In fact, motivated employees are 73% more likely to produce high-quality work. They’re also more creative, more collaborative, and more likely to take initiative. These aren’t soft skills, they’re the foundation of innovation, customer satisfaction, and long-term success.

Motivation isn’t just about how people feel, it’s about how they perform. And in a business landscape defined by rapid change and constant disruption, that performance edge matters more than ever.

What Leaders Can Do Right Now

So how can organizations create a culture that fosters motivation? It starts with rethinking how leaders lead, support, and listen to their people.

First, focus on your managers. Manager quality is the single most important factor in employee motivation. A great manager can buffer stress, create clarity, and nurture a sense of purpose. A poor one can undo even the best organizational strategies.

Second, pay attention to your mid-career employees. They’re often the most at risk and the most overlooked. Make sure they have access to development opportunities, meaningful feedback, and visible paths for growth, even when things are unstable.

Third, don’t underestimate the power of team dynamics. Motivation isn’t just individual, it’s social. People are more likely to stay engaged when they feel connected to their team and aligned around shared goals.

And finally, rethink how you measure engagement. Annual surveys are too slow and too broad. Use more frequent check-ins, pulse surveys, and real-time feedback tools to stay in tune with how your people are really doing. Not only to have greater insight and understanding, but to take those insights and turn them into action. Actively listening and working to improve the culture in your organization will improve trust and boost motivation.

The Bottom Line

Only a small fraction of employees are currently in the optimal zone for motivation and stress. Most are struggling, some quietly, some visibly. And while the numbers are important, the real story is about people: talented, capable individuals who want to do great work, but need the right conditions to thrive, especially during times of external chaos.

Motivation isn’t a mystery, it’s a choice. It’s something you can influence, nurture, and grow but it requires intention. It requires listening. And it requires a shift in how we think about work, leadership, and well-being.

Because when your people thrive, your business does too.

Wiley’s suite of professional solutions provides a structure and common language to help empower entire organizations with the skills needed to get to the next level. From building better teams with The Five Behaviors^®, and improving understanding to create engaged, collaborative, and adaptive cultures with Everything DiSC^® on Catalyst™, helping you make confident hiring decisions with PXT Select^®, or unlocking the power of leadership at every level with The Leadership Challenge^®, Wiley has innovative solutions that help make the workplace a better place.

Wiley Workplace Intelligence conducts in-depth research on key workplace issues by gathering insights from individual contributors, managers, and leaders. Wiley Workplace Intelligence then analyzes these findings to provide actionable solutions that are shared in our blog.