The Workplace Is Changing. Are We Listening?
Only 21% of employees worldwide say they feel engaged at work. In Europe, that number drops to just 14%, and in Latin America, it’s only 26%. This growing disconnect between people and their work is more than a motivational issue — it’s an economic one. Disengagement is estimated to cost the global economy over $438 billion per year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.
Managers under pressure, cultures losing shape.
It’s not just employees who are struggling. Only 27% of managers feel engaged themselves, and many report lacking the support, tools, and time to lead effectively. This is critical, given that 70% of a team’s engagement is directly tied to their manager.
At the same time, there’s a widening gap between what leadership believes they’re offering and what employees actually experience. Many organizations say they’re focused on wellbeing, but employees often don’t feel it. The disconnect is increasingly evident.
So, where do we go from here?
The most forward-thinking organizations aren’t just rolling out new perks — they’re redesigning the employee experience around people’s real needs.
Key areas of focus include:
Offering more schedule flexibility
Increasing career visibility
Redesigning key cultural moments
Addressing mental health
Delivering personalized experiences and benefits
What these strategies have in common is clear: they’re based on real human signals, not assumptions. And they’re designed at the individual level, not for the average employee.
Tech and culture aren’t opposites — they’re allies
Technology can’t fix culture on its own. But when used with purpose, it can help teams listen better, act faster, and connect more meaningfully. With the right tools, we can interpret behavioral data, understand team sentiment, and offer experiences that actually resonate. What used to be based on intuition can now be guided by insight. Because at its core, this isn’t just a structural problem — it’s an emotional one. People want to feel seen, heard, and valued. And technology can help make that happen.
The WHY of building Sparkclub
At Sparkclub, we believe the future of work is built on connection. We’re building an AI-powered platform that helps managers strengthen culture and motivation by connecting people with personalized experiences – aligned with their real interests and needs.
But Sparkclub isn’t just another engagement tool. It’s designed to act on real signals: preferences, behaviors, feedback, and emotional cues. Our system maps out each individual’s interests and motivators, and matches them with curated experiences – from team-building activities and learning opportunities to wellness perks and community moments – all aligned with company values.
Managers don’t need to guess what drives their people. They get insight, flexibility, and tools to act – not once a year, but as part of the day-to-day experience. Sparkclub makes culture measurable, engagement dynamic, and connection scalable.
Through our intelligence layer, InfoFi, we turn behavioral signals into actionable data — and data into incentive systems that reward participation, belonging, and engagement.
Because work shouldn’t just be about showing up.
It should mean something.
Gallup – State of the Global Workplace 2025
2024 Global Talent Trends Report
Deloitte – Global Human Capital Trends 2025
