Could ‘unbossing’ fix our engagement problem?

We’ve got a bit of an engagement problem brewing in the U.S. and the world, and the traditional coffee break doesn’t seem to be addressing it: 4.8 million fewer employees are feeling the warm fuzzies about their jobs, marking the lowest-engagement rates since 2013.   

Interestingly, while recent Gallup data indicates a drop in employee engagement, job satisfaction has hit its highest level in nearly 40 years. This paradox suggests that while employees may feel less connected to their organizations, they value the autonomy and flexibility that unbossing provides. 

Unbossing represents a radical shift in how we perceive leadership and work. By embracing this model, organizations can create environments that drive productivity and enhance their employees’ overall well-being. 

Why should you care? Low engagement equals low morale, which snowballs into low productivity and ineffectiveness, then slowly melts into a workplace culture that HBO would be inspired to call Toxic Wasteland.

This problem is particularly glaring for Gen Z, who will make up 27% of the global workforce by 2025. Their desire for boundaries, mental health, and autonomy are shaking up workplace culture and what it means to be “at work.” In particular, younger employees under 35 report feeling less connected to their organization’s culture, ditto remote workers and those who could work remotely but have been impacted by return-to-work mandates.

To reengage employees, companies will need to think outside the box or, in today’s terms, think outside the bosses. 

Organizations like Bayer, vowing to “slash corporate bureaucracy and let employees manage themselves,” are ushering in the latest workplace trend: the Great Unbossing. But in reality, this is just a splashy new term for self-governing or self-management, which dates back to Ancient Greece. The difference now is that we’re redefining leadership and autonomy in our current times, when individuals and organizations reevaluate priorities, approaches to work, and organizational design. 

Autonomy and control

Unbossing is about giving employees the reins (with accountability in place), fostering a sense of autonomy and control that might just rekindle their enthusiasm for work. With employee engagement plummeting to an 11-year low, according to Gallup, unbossing could be a potential solution.

It’s ditching the traditional command-and-control style in favor of a more sovereign approach that embraces the idea that we are all leaders in our lives. This concept integrates purpose, values, and behaviors into the rules and regulations in a way that we know we’re serving, not just what’s in it for the company, but also what’s in it for us. Redefining management and success means understanding that true fulfillment comes from living authentically and aligning personal values with professional roles.

As companies navigate this evolving landscape, finding the optimal structure that aligns with their unique needs and values is the baseline. Unbossing offers potential efficiencies and can enhance employee engagement when implemented thoughtfully. This involves integrating concepts of mental health and belonging into everyday operations, creating a more holistic and human-centric workplace.

Some practical ways to accomplish this are to offer education and training to raise awareness and destigmatize mental health conversations. Have conversations that are intentional not just task-driven or productivity-focused to check in to see how team members are doing in other critical aspects of their lives—mentally, emotionally, financially, etc.Test new AI tools and apps to go beyond what a Calm or Headspace subscription offers. Support open communication and feedback with psychological safety in place so employees feel heard, valued, and comfortable with speaking up and speaking out.  

Human sustainability

Productivity cannot be measured solely by output. Pushing out products via an assembly line will generate more growth, but pushing people to work harder, longer, and faster can actually result in mistakes, burnout, and absenteeism, sending productivity and engagement plummeting. Human sustainability is paramount. It’s about creating value in all aspects of people’s lives: physical, mental, emotional, financial, spiritual/purposeful.

Companies can ensure long-term success by fostering environments where employees can grow, feel connected, and contribute to a higher purpose. Recent findings from Deloitte highlight that sustaining human well-being is essential for sustaining business growth. As organizations, when we think about stability, growth, and profits without considering human sustainability, we’re missing the mark. If we want to sustain ourselves as companies, we need to sustain ourselves as human beings first. 

The future of unbossing

As the Greeks did back in the day, they evolved to make organizational structures work (until they didn’t). The question comes back to us now . . . how much are we able to adapt to what unbossing means to meet today’s world? 

If we’re building community and not trying to expand and control, it comes back to listening, understanding, and doing what’s best for “what’s in it for me” and “what’s in it for all.” This reimagined leadership can create a more resilient, engaged, and human-centric workplace (that doesn’t rely on five cups of coffee to get through).