Disengaged and Disappearing: What Is the Threat to Our Courts?

September 16th, 2025,  Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast EpisodeEmployee disengagement is a critical national issue, one that quietly undermines productivity, economic growth, and workplace culture across the United States. According to a2024 Gallup Corporation report:·      Only 33% of Employees are Actively Engaged in Their Work·      50% are Not Engaged They are going through the motions without energy or passion.·        17% are Actively Disengaged. They are, in somecases, sabotaging the efforts of their colleagues. These statistics paint a sobering portrait of a workforce in quiet crisis, where a majority of employees are not fully invested in their work. Gallup estimates the cost ofthis disengagement to the U.S. economy at over $1.9 trillion annually lost in productivity, absenteeism, turnover, and diminished performance. Managers point to employee shortcomings:Failure to Own Their Performance and Growth Many employees stop seeking challenges, feedback, or development. They become content to drift rather than drive.Lack of Effort to Connect with Their Job A weakened work ethic shows in a reluctance to go beyond the minimum or take full ownership of assignments.Misaligned Career Choices Some employees acceptroles that don’t match their long-term goals and instead of course-correcting, allow dissatisfaction to quietly fester. Employees, in turn, point to leadership:Lack of Clear Job Expectations Unclear responsibilities and vague performance standards create a fog of uncertainty,eroding confidence and consistency.Limited Opportunities for Growth When training,mentorship, and development are absent, ambition fades and potential withers.    Not Feeling Cared About as a Person When empathy ismissing, employees may feel invisible.Poor communication Both sides agree that communication is broken; each sees the other as responsible. Employees remain silent, withdrawn, and sometimes morose. Leaders misread the silence as apathy, not alienation. What emerges is a workplace marked by quiet tensions and mutual disillusionment. Whether through micromanagement or complete detachment, the absence of meaningful feedback and recognition is deeply demoralizing. Can this be turned around before the silence becomes permanent? Today’s Moderator Erika Schmid Judicial Clerk Supervisor at Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland Today’s PanelElaina Cano Court Administrator, City Court, Surprise, ArizonaTeshrie Kalicharan Alternative Dispute ResolutionDirector, 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Orlando, FloridaSamantha Wallis Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur D’Alene, IdahoBecome part of the Conversation. Send in your comments and questions to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠#employee engagement#non-attorney legal advocates#access to justice#court administration