Nearly one in three employees say poor leadership is preventing them from experiencing fulfilment at work, according to a new survey, with ineffective management ranking alongside burnout and economic uncertainty as one of the biggest obstacles to a satisfying work life.
The 2026 State of Workplace Fulfillment Report, released by career-centred personal development company MeaningSphere, surveyed 522 US employees across a broad range of industries, income levels, locations and backgrounds. It found that almost half of workers do not feel fulfilled in their jobs. Only 15% described their work as highly fulfilling.
Overwork and burnout emerged as the most reported barrier to workplace fulfilment, cited by 39% of respondents. Poor leadership or management followed closely at 34%, while 33% pointed to external pressures such as the economy and artificial intelligence.
The results add to growing evidence that managers and organisational leaders play a critical role in shaping employees’ daily experiences. Recent global research found that employee engagement has fallen to its lowest level since 2020, with manager disengagement identified as a major driver of the decline.
They also echo concerns about a wider “moral leadership gap”, with 94% of employees saying moral leadership is more important than ever but only 6% of CEOs demonstrating it consistently.
TOP BARRIERS TO FULFILLING WORKPLACE
The barriers preventing respondents from experiencing a fulfilling work life were:
- Overwork or burnout: 39%
- Poor leadership or management: 34%
- External pressures, including the economy and AI: 33%
- Boring or repetitive work: 22%
- Personal life challenges: 21%
- Lack of opportunities to apply themselves: 19%
- Job insecurity: 16%
- Peers or co-workers: 16%
- Misalignment with personal values: 11%
- Isolation: 8%
- None of the above: 11%
The findings come as burnout and disengagement increasingly affect employees’ day-to-day working lives. According to figures cited in the report, these challenges cost the global economy an estimated $438 billion in lost productivity, while only 33% of employees worldwide say they are thriving overall. Separate research has similarly found that organisations investing in employee wellbeing support can achieve improvements in loyalty, retention and productivity.
WHAT MAKES WORK FEEL FULFILLING?
Despite workers having highly personal definitions of fulfilment, the survey revealed considerable common ground in what employees value. Feeling appreciated and valued and making a positive impact on other people were the joint leading contributors to fulfilling work, each cited by 42% of respondents.
The factors employees said mattered most were:
- Feeling appreciated and valued: 42%
- Making a positive impact on others: 42%
- Harmony between work and life: 27%
- Flexibility in how and when they work: 24%
- Having control and autonomy over their work: 20%
- Being inspired by the work they do: 18%
- Growing and developing as a person: 16%
- Feeling a sense of connection and belonging: 15%
- Feeling energised and supported in their overall wellbeing: 15%
- Being deeply engaged and fully immersed: 11%
The prominence of appreciation reflects a long-running concern among employees. Research published ahead of Employee Appreciation Day found that only one-quarter of workers feel genuinely valued by their organisations. Previous findings have also identified feeling appreciated and valued as the leading reason employees remain with an employer. Yet appreciation continues to be in short supply, with earlier research suggesting two-thirds of staff do not always feel appreciated for their contributions.
A persistent lack of recognition can also affect employees’ health. Separate research found that unappreciated workers were twice as likely to report poor mental health. The problem is not confined to a particular generation or geography. A global study found that employees across all generations feel undervalued at work, while UK research revealed that a quarter of underpaid and undervalued workers planned to quit their jobs during 2026.
PURPOSE AND APPRECIATION AT WORK
MeaningSphere said that 84% of those surveyed selected either feeling appreciated and valued or making a positive impact as a leading contributor to fulfilment. Another one in three respondents identified having more time to pause and reflect as the most accessible route to improving their work life fulfilment.
Employees who reported highly fulfilling working lives shared four central characteristics:
- Impact
- Appreciation
- Harmony
- Growth
The findings suggest employers should look beyond pay and workplace perks and consider whether employees understand the value of their contribution, receive meaningful recognition and have opportunities to grow. A sense of purpose has long been particularly important to younger workers. Previous research found that millennials were prepared to leave employers that failed to provide equity, flexibility and purpose.
FEELING VALUED AT WORK
Feeling valued and having an impact may also depend on whether employees believe they are respected, included and able to contribute without experiencing stigma or discrimination. Recent findings revealed that declining corporate transparency around diversity, equity and inclusion was associated with greater stigma, job insecurity and lower productivity among LGBTQ+ employees.
Despite the political and legal pressure surrounding workplace DEI in the US, another study found that eight in 10 American companies remain committed to inclusion, fairness and diverse representation.
Together, the findings suggest that fulfilment is unlikely to be achieved solely through individual reflection. Leadership quality, recognition, inclusion, psychological safety and fair workplace systems all influence whether employees feel valued and able to make a meaningful contribution.
INFLUENCE AND LEADERSHIP MATTERS
The MeaningSphere report identified a difference between the approaches taken by fulfilled and unfulfilled employees. Workers experiencing highly fulfilling work lives were more likely to focus on the aspects of their working lives that they could influence and to draw on their personal capacity for meaning and growth.
Employees who felt unfulfilled, by contrast, were more likely to look externally for solutions, such as finding a new position, employer or workplace culture. “This survey reinforces what many of us have sensed throughout our careers: that when we take charge of our work life fulfilment, we realise more of it,” said Jeff Westphal, bestselling author and founder of MeaningSphere. “Workers who focus on what they can influence are more likely to experience fulfilment and that’s something each of us has the capacity to practice.”
However, the finding that 34% of employees identify poor leadership as a barrier indicates that responsibility cannot rest with workers alone. Employers and managers also shape workloads, recognition, autonomy, development opportunities, inclusion and employees’ ability to achieve harmony between work and the rest of their lives.
The research ultimately points to a shared responsibility: employees may be able to strengthen their own sense of meaning, but organisations must provide the leadership and conditions that allow fulfilling work to flourish.
GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS
While the report encourages employees to focus on the aspects of work they can influence, the findings also point to several practical steps employers can take to improve workplace fulfilment.
With poor leadership ranking as the second biggest barrier after burnout, organisations may benefit from investing in leadership development that prioritises communication, empathy, recognition and trust alongside commercial performance. The findings also suggest employers should:
Recognise employees regularly and meaningfully
Feeling appreciated and valued was identified as one of the strongest contributors to workplace fulfilment, yet previous research continues to show many employees do not feel recognised for their efforts.
Address workloads before burnout becomes the norm
As overwork was the most commonly reported barrier to fulfilment, employers should regularly review workloads, staffing levels and expectations to help prevent chronic stress and disengagement.
Help employees see their impact
Workers were more likely to feel fulfilled when they believed their work made a positive difference. Managers can reinforce this by clearly linking individual contributions to team, organisational or customer outcomes.
Support growth and development
Although personal growth ranked lower than appreciation, employees who reported highly fulfilling work consistently identified growth as one of the four foundations of their experience. Providing learning opportunities, mentoring and clear career pathways can help sustain engagement.
Promote autonomy and flexibility where possible
Allowing employees greater control over how they work and maintaining healthy work-life harmony can strengthen trust while improving motivation and productivity.
Create inclusive workplace cultures
Employees are more likely to feel valued when they experience belonging, fairness and psychological safety. Organisations that invest in inclusive leadership and equitable workplace practices may be better placed to retain talent and encourage employees to contribute their best work.
LEADERSHIP AND WORKPLACE CULTURE
Ultimately, the report suggests workplace fulfilment is not achieved through a single initiative. Rather, it is shaped by everyday leadership behaviours, meaningful recognition, manageable workloads, opportunities to grow and an organisational culture where employees feel respected, trusted and able to make a genuine impact.
Click here to download the full report.
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