Jose Daniel Duarte Camacho Says Leadership Must Evolve as Global Employee Engagement Falls to 20%

Declining employee engagement, rapid advances in artificial intelligence and changing workforce expectations are creating a defining test for business leaders, according to entrepreneur and leadership strategist Jose Daniel Duarte Camacho.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report found that only 20% of employees worldwide were engaged at work in 2025—the lowest level recorded since 2020. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity, equivalent to 9% of global GDP.

Manager engagement also declined, falling from 31% to 22%. However, Gallup found that 79% of managers at best-practice organizations were engaged—nearly four times the global average.

Duarte Camacho says the contrast demonstrates that disengagement is not inevitable. It is an organizational challenge that leaders can address through greater clarity, trust, accountability, and investment in managers.

“Leadership is no longer defined simply by authority or the ability to deliver short-term results,” said Jose Daniel Duarte Camacho. “Modern leaders must create clarity during uncertainty, give people a meaningful connection to their work and build environments where accountability and trust reinforce each other.”

The Manager’s Role Is Becoming More Important

Managers are frequently responsible for translating executive strategy into daily priorities, supporting employee development and guiding teams through organizational change. Yet many managers are expected to perform these duties without sufficient training, authority or resources.

Duarte Camacho, whose international experience spans entrepreneurship, operational leadership, e-commerce, FinTech and business agility, says organizations should treat manager development as a strategic investment rather than an administrative exercise.

Effective managers need the skills to establish clear expectations, provide constructive feedback, recognize performance and address problems before they affect an entire team. They must also understand how to lead across remote, hybrid and multicultural working environments.

“When managers are overwhelmed or disconnected, that experience spreads across the organization,” Duarte Camacho said. “Companies cannot build engaged teams without first equipping managers to lead effectively.”

AI Is Changing What Employees Need From Leaders

Artificial intelligence is transforming how work is assigned, completed and evaluated. While these systems can increase speed and productivity, they also create uncertainty about changing roles, required skills and employee accountability.

The World Economic Forum reports that employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 70% of surveyed employers anticipate greater demand for leadership and social-influence skills.

Duarte Camacho says leaders should communicate clearly about how AI will be used, which decisions will remain under human control, and how employees will be prepared for new responsibilities. Technology should support better work rather than create unnecessary confusion or distance between leaders and their teams.

Adaptability Remains a Leadership Gap

Deloitte’s 2026 Global Human Capital Trends research found that 85% of surveyed leaders consider organizational and workforce adaptability critical. However, only 7% believe their organizations are leading in helping employees continuously grow and adapt.

According to Duarte Camacho, closing that gap requires leaders to move beyond broad statements about transformation. They must establish practical learning opportunities, create safe channels for employee feedback, and give teams sufficient authority to respond to changing conditions.

Five Priorities for Modern Leadership

Duarte Camacho identifies five priorities for leaders navigating the changing workplace:

1. Create strategic clarity: Explain organizational priorities and connect individual responsibilities to measurable outcomes.
   
   
2. Strengthen managers: Provide practical training, appropriate authority, and manageable team structures.
   
   
3. Communicate change transparently: Tell employees what is changing, why it matters and how it may affect their work.
   
   
4. Develop human and technical skills: Combine AI literacy with critical thinking, collaboration, resilience and sound judgment.
   
   
5. Measure leadership outcomes: Track engagement, retention, internal development and team performance—not only financial results.
   
   

Trust Must Be Reinforced Through Action

Duarte Camacho emphasizes that employees evaluate leadership through everyday decisions rather than corporate statements. Trust grows when expectations are consistent, leaders acknowledge uncertainty, and employees see that feedback results in meaningful action.

“The organizations that succeed will be those whose leaders can combine technological progress with human understanding,” Duarte Camacho added. “People do not need leaders to have every answer. They need leaders who communicate honestly, make responsible decisions and help their teams move forward with confidence.”

As organizations prepare for continued technological and workforce disruption, Duarte Camacho believes leadership quality will become an increasingly important differentiator in productivity, employee retention and sustainable growth.

About Jose Duarte Camacho

JD Duarte is originally from Heredia, Costa Rica. He has been an entrepreneur and business owner for more than 20 years and divides his time between his existing operations and researching new possibilities in which to invest. When he’s not dedicating time to his businesses, He spends time with his supporting wife and two children.

Contact Information

JD Duarte

Media Manager

JD Duarte

Contact via E-mail