Why does employee engagement still feel so hard?

Despite decades of focus, surveys, and initiatives, the data tells us something uncomfortable: engagement isn’t improving. In fact, in many places, it’s getting worse. So what are we missing?

In this episode, Andy Goram is joined by Tom Krieglstein, creator of Dance Floor Theory. A brilliantly simple, yet deeply insightful way of understanding how people actually engage at work.

Tom’s model reframes engagement as something fundamentally human. Not a metric to track, or a programme to roll out, but a dynamic social experience. One where people exist at different levels of engagement, just like a dance floor. And where leaders need to meet them where they are, not where they wish they were.

From tackling disengaged “Negative Nellies” to creating momentum through connection, Tom shares practical, actionable ways to build workplaces people actually want to be part of.

If you’ve ever wondered why engagement feels so complex and how to make it simpler, more human, and more effective, this conversation is for you.

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Key Takeaways

Engagement isn’t broken. Our approach to it is. Too many organisations treat engagement as a system or survey, rather than a human experience.
Connection is the real driver of engagement. We are biologically wired for connection and workplaces often ignore that fundamental truth.
People engage at different levels. Like a dance floor, some are in the middle, some on the edge — and each requires a different approach.
Great leaders meet people where they are. You can’t force engagement. You build it step-by-step, understanding what each person needs next.

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Key Moments

The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:11 – Why employee engagement still isn’t improving
0:03:00 – Meet Tom Krieglstein and the power of connection
0:08:44 – More friends equals more fun: the social truth of engagement
0:11:00 – The uncomfortable data behind disengagement
0:14:50 – The decline of community and its impact on work
0:16:52 – What great workplace cultures actually feel like
0:25:31 – Introducing Dance Floor Theory
0:27:27 – The six levels of engagement explained
0:28:24 – Dealing with disengagement: Negative Nellies
0:31:16 – Hiring for contribution vs competency
0:35:57 – The role of energy, momentum and leadership influence
0:37:34 – What each engagement level is really thinking
0:39:08 – How to engage each level effectively
0:44:46 – Tom’s three Sticky Notes for better engagement

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Join The Conversation Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here Follow the Podcast on Instagram here Follow the Podcast on Twitter here Follow the Podcast on Facebook here Check out the Bizjuicer website here Get a free consultation with Andy here Check out the Bizjuicer blog here Download the podcast here ----more---- Useful Links Follow Tom Krieglstein on LinkedIn here Follow Tom on YouTube here Follow Tom on Instagram here Find the SwiftKick website here ----more---- Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here