Can Employee Disengagement Spread?

We might need more workplace conflict.  As we know productive conflict can encourage new ideas, better decision-making and creative solutions.  Unproductive conflict which is unresolved or poorly managed can damage trust, job satisfaction, and employees’ willingness to contribute.  This can spread and infect organizations through employee disengagement.

I’ve seen this again and again in organizations.  Conflict is prevalent, trust in the organization is low and employees become detached.  They talk to colleagues and convince them that the outlook is grim, and everyone starts shutting down or complaining.  These are the classic signs that organizations need to listen and respond.

Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) illustrates the scale of the problem. Its 2024 Good Work Index found that 25% of UK employees had experienced workplace conflict during the previous year. Only 54% of employees who experienced conflict were satisfied with their jobs, compared with 77% of those who did not report conflict. Employees who experienced conflict were also twice as likely to say they were looking at leaving their organization within the next year.

One reason conflict can lead to disengagement is that it undermines employees’ sense of psychological safety and trust. When employees feel undermined, ignored, or unfairly treated, they may become less willing to communicate openly or invest energy in their work. The CIPD found that employees who experienced workplace conflict had less confidence in senior leaders and lower perceptions that managers supported employee voice.

Unresolved conflict can also create stress and emotional exhaustion. Among employees who reported workplace conflict, 42% said they felt exhausted all or most of the time, compared with 18% of employees who reported no conflict. This matters because disengagement is not simply a lack of enthusiasm; it can involve employees becoming psychologically detached from their work and organization. Gallup defines actively disengaged employees as workers who are unhappy and disconnected because important workplace needs are not being met.  

The relationship works in the other direction as well. Disengaged employees may be less likely to communicate, collaborate, or resolve disagreements constructively, allowing minor tensions to develop into larger conflicts. This can create a cycle in which conflict reduces engagement, while low engagement makes healthy conflict resolution more difficult spreading through your organization like a virus.

Organizations can stop the spread by addressing conflict early, training managers in conflict resolution, and creating environments where employees feel heard and respected. The CIPD reports that only 36% of employees who experienced workplace conflict felt that it had been fully resolved, highlighting the importance of effective follow-up rather than simply having conflict-management policies on paper.

Workplace conflict should not automatically be viewed as harmful. Disagreement can be productive when employees feel safe to express different perspectives and find solutions that meet their needs. The greater risk comes when conflict becomes personal, persistent, or unresolved. By building trust, encouraging open communication, and responding to problems early, organizations can reduce the spread of disengagement while creating healthier and more productive workplaces.

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