The Cost of Not Listening: What Disengagement Is Really Telling Leaders

Disengagement is often treated as an attitude problem or a motivation issue, yet I believe it is more accurately understood as a communication signal. When people disengage, they are rarely withdrawing without reason. More often, disengagement is the outcome of not feeling heard, understood, or valued over time.

The cost of not listening is far greater than most organisations realise. Disengaged employees do not simply do less work. They withhold insight, creativity, and discretionary effort. They stop raising concerns early. They stop offering ideas. Over time, this silence becomes expensive, not only in productivity but in missed opportunity and increased risk.

Empathy plays a critical role in interpreting disengagement accurately. Empathetic leadership allows leaders to see disengagement not as defiance, but as feedback. When leaders approach disengagement with curiosity rather than judgement, they gain access to the real issues shaping performance and morale.

Listening-Led Leadership is essential here. Leaders who listen consistently create space for employees to express concerns before disengagement becomes entrenched. When listening is absent, people often feel there is no point in speaking up, leading to withdrawal rather than dialogue. This withdrawal is often misread as apathy, when in reality it is self protection.

Neuroscience reinforces why not listening is so damaging. When people feel ignored or dismissed, stress responses increase and trust declines. This reduces cognitive capacity and emotional investment. Over time, disengagement becomes a rational response to an environment where contribution feels unsafe or unrewarded.

I have seen organisations invest heavily in engagement initiatives while failing to address basic listening behaviours. Surveys, incentives, and wellbeing programs cannot compensate for leadership that does not listen. Without listening, these efforts often feel performative and disconnected from reality.

The cost of disengagement also shows up in retention. People rarely leave organisations suddenly. They disengage first. When leaders listen only at the point of resignation, they are hearing the feedback too late. Consistent listening allows leaders to respond earlier, preserving both talent and momentum.

Importantly, listening does not guarantee agreement or immediate change. What it does guarantee is acknowledgement. Feeling acknowledged restores dignity and trust, even when outcomes cannot shift immediately. This acknowledgement alone can reengage people who might otherwise withdraw.

I believe disengagement is one of the clearest indicators of leadership listening gaps and today with over 60% of most workforces worldwide already claiming disengagement, we have huge gaps to fill. When leaders learn to really listen to what disengagement is telling them, they gain the opportunity to reconnect those teams. It won’t be fast but it will be necessary. Are you seeing this in your teams and if so, how will you commit to filling the gaps?

About Mimi Nicklin:
Mimi Nicklin is a globally recognised keynote speaker, bestselling author, and Founder of Empathy Everywhere, working with organisations worldwide through leadership development, training, keynotes, masterclasses, and webinars. Recognised as the #1 Workplace Wellbeing leader, Mimi has reached over four million people globally through her work in empathetic leadership, listening, and Listening-Led Leadership, helping organisations strengthen employee engagement, workplace culture, and performance in complex, AI driven environments. Her work reframes empathy as a critical leadership capability grounded in neuroscience and applied through practical empathy training and organisational development. With a mission to reconnect one million people by 2028, Mimi Nicklin is emerging as one of the defining human leadership voices of this decade. Find out more via www.empathyeverywhere.co or [email protected]