Why Employees Are Disengaged (79%) — How Leaders Can Overcome Skepticism and Rebuild Trust

Why are 79% of employees disengaged at work —and what can leaders actually do about it? In this solo episode of Time to Reset , Penny Zenker breaks down one of the most overlooked drivers of disengagement: skepticism . This isn’t about attitude—it’s about attention patterns shaped by past experiences, broken trust, and workplace dynamics. When skepticism takes hold, it limits innovation, slows decision-making, and quietly erodes collaboration. Penny shares: Why skepticism is rising in today’s workplace How it impacts trust, performance, and leadership effectiveness The neuroscience behind threat, focus, and disengagement The connection between skepticism and the “Nitpicker Effect” 5 practical leadership strategies to rebuild trust and re-engage your team If you’re a leader, executive, or team manager navigating disengagement, low trust, or resistance to change—this episode gives you a clear, actionable framework to shift from doubt to possibility. What creates skepticism for you at work? What has helped you rebuild trust in a leader or organization?

You can listen to Why Employees Are Disengaged (79%) — How Leaders Can Overcome Skepticism and Rebuild Trust online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Employees Are Disengaged (79%) — How Leaders Can Overcome Skepticism and Rebuild Trust is an episode from Take Back Time: Time Management | Stress Management | Tug of War With Time by Penny Zenker.

This episode is 14:40 long.

This episode was published on Mar 20, 2026.

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