In April 2026, Gallup’s annual State of the Global Workplace report revealed a global decline in employee engagement to just 20%, its lowest level since 2020.
According to the report, the downward trend is driven by fears around job security, burned-out managers (whose own engagement sits at 22%) and poorly managed tech transitions. A related survey published by Gallup last month shows that AI-induced anxiety is linked to lower engagement and higher burnout.
The antidote? Real, in-person connection might be exactly what an AI-anxious workforce needs.
“It reminds me, in a way, of 2020/2021,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM at FCM South Africa, a travel management company (TMC) that manages travel for large enterprises and multinational companies.
“Teams had suddenly gone remote or hybrid, and getting people together again made a real difference. It was especially important for younger employees, who’d been missing out on the informal mentorship and on-the-job learning that happen when you’re in the same room as more experienced colleagues. AI is a different kind of disruption, but the uncertainty feels familiar. When leaders take the time to explain the developments in person and train their teams properly, many of those fears start to ease.”
Those fears run all the way up organisations. Leaders worry about falling behind competitors who adopt AI faster or investing heavily in tech that doesn’t deliver a return. Not to mention keeping sensitive company and client data secure.
Employees, meanwhile, worry that their jobs may disappear, that their skills and qualifications may become obsolete, that efficiency gains may be used to cut their wages, hours or benefits, or that they simply won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change.
The unease doesn’t stop at the office door, either. Deepfakes and AI-generated content have made it harder to know what’s real, and nearly half the people (48%) surveyed by identity verification company iProov in the US and UK say they now question the authenticity of almost everything they see online.
The conversation has also moved from AI to superintelligence, the point at which AI outperforms human intelligence. In September, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow down development, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk said they agreed. When the people building the technology start to sound uneasy, it’s hard for anyone else to feel relaxed.
So what can organisations do?
Mafojane believes that for multinationals with teams spread across cities and continents, much of the answer comes down to showing up in person.
Explain the plan face to face. When new tools arrive, a leadership roadshow to regional offices gives people the chance to hear the strategy first-hand, ask the difficult questions and understand where they fit in.
“The first challenge for leaders is to decide where AI fits into their business. In other words, when to invest, where to automate and what to keep human. The second is to build trust and drive buy-in and adoption,” explains Mafojane. “Presenting the strategy in person can make a real difference.”
Remind people of their worth. According to Gallup, employees who feel respected and cared for are less likely to fear that AI will take their job. That message is easier to believe when a leader delivers it in person.
Train together, at a human pace. Change takes time to absorb. In-person workshops let teams learn new tools side by side, ask questions and make mistakes without feeling exposed.
Prioritise travel opportunities. As Mafojane explains, business travel remains a high-value perk that boosts both employee satisfaction and professional growth.
“Not only does business travel help organisations attract and retain talent, but people tend to come back with renewed energy and fresh ideas,” she says. “In this environment, it’s good for morale.”
Check in regularly. Quarterly gatherings for remote and hybrid teams help people reconnect and raise concerns before they grow.
“The most valuable trips we see now have a clear job to do,” says Mafojane. “And they don’t need to be extravagant. A leader visiting a regional office, or a team spending two days learning something new, can make a real difference, as long as you agree up front what success looks like. A good travel management partner keeps that time purposeful and the costs in check, with duty of care covered. It’s a great way to steady the ship.”
