Today’s workforce is emotionally checked out, overwhelmed by constant change and digital saturation. In this compelling call to action, Josh Cardoz urges organisations to break the cycle of disconnection and cynicism. Through purpose, friction and human connection, we can reignite meaning and reshape work for a generation on the brink.
Today’s workforce is going through a profound and fundamental shift. Faced with relentless economic uncertainty, the after-effects of a global pandemic, and perpetual digital overload, this generation of workers is now cynical, disengaged, yearning for connection, and slowly giving up on finding meaning or purpose at work.
Almost 50% of employees say they feel numb, indifferent, or ‘nothing’ at all
Many have turned inward or shut down completely for self-preservation. When companies announce new rules, ways of working, or strategies, almost 50% of employees say they feel numb, indifferent, or ‘nothing’ at all, with a further 30% reporting feeling overwhelmed or anxious as a result, as detailed in our Generation Numb report. Nearly 4 in 10 employees say they are “just surviving.”
Events not just ages
Recent meta-analyses reveal few meaningful differences between generations when they are simply defined by age groups. Instead, what the evidence supports is “the Period Effect”, the idea that shared, era-defining events shape people’s attitudes regardless of their age.
Generation Numb is a cohort defined not by the year they were born, but by what they have collectively endured: a global pandemic and the ensuing digital saturation and isolation, a chaotic geopolitical environment and unrelenting economic uncertainty.
At work, Generation Numb is characterised by a rising tide of overwhelm and disengagement. This indifference creeps into every corner of an organisation and translates to slower adaptation, stalled innovation and a workforce less willing to fuel the very strategies needed for growth. And yet, research and common sense indicates that the workforce deeply desires meaning and purpose in their jobs.
With loss of friction comes loss of feeling
Since the rapid adoption of digital workplace technology at the start of the pandemic, we have kick-started an era where the workforce is both hyperconnected and not connected at all. Generation Numb is numb, in part, because we have engineered the virtual workplace to be frictionless, which often translates to feeling less.
Corporate-heralded signals of connection such as Slack messages and virtual all-hands meetings are now a shallow, redundant experience for employees. The constant digital communication signals the loss of authentic day-to-day human connection in their jobs. The truth: with the loss of the normal joys, frustrations and friction of real human interaction, comes the loss of feeling anything at all.
Myles Runham, Senior Analyst of Digital Learning at the Fosway Group, said, “A lot of our digital experiences optimise everything to the extent where friction is completely removed. But some of that mess and unpredictability is actually welcome. That’s where the learning can happen.”
Corporations will need to learn this lesson soon or falter; enterprise transformation cannot occur without acknowledging Generation Numb and addressing the root causes. Workers in 2025 are cynical and overwhelmed, but they are also seeking authenticity and community. We must return friction, feeling and purpose to today’s workforce and activate Generation Numb.
It’s time to reignite purpose
Humans desire purpose and meaning. Generation Numb is slowly losing both. The remedy begins at the individual level. Leaders in organisations may speak of high-level strategy, but this becomes a meaningless echo chamber if not directly relevant to the day-to-day work and purpose of each employee.
People are increasingly numbed by digital feeds and isolated by the erosion of communities. Organisations and the leaders within them have an opportunity to interrupt that monotony and bring humanity back into play. It may start in ways that seem small: unstructured, in-person meetings without laptops. A daily check-in that doesn’t have an agenda. Prioritising high touch learning experiences such as mentoring, job shadowing, coaching and small project teams that signal genuine investment in individuals.
Escape default mode to restore connection
Generation Numb was born out of a space of deep-rooted isolation. While negative news cycles and scarcity have become the norm, the curated digital universe has also shifted us away from monoculture: positive, unifying events that touch wide swaths of the population. Today, the default mode for the workforce is disconnected and cynical, and it needs to be interrupted.
“Getting outside normal day-to-day life and getting around a group of like-minded individuals can really help drive that purpose and culture and feeling of belonging. We have had 50,000 stays at our Deloitte University and in the US this past year. That’s always one of the highlights of people’s years is getting together with people,” said Jeffrey Fedak, Global Consulting & Learning Leader at Deloitte.
In these efforts, organisations can start small but be bold. Melissa Marts, Senior Director, Enterprise Capability, The Coca-Cola Company, said, “Start by doing something really bold that breaks through the numbness and creates surprise and delight for a small group where you have the space and the permission to play or try something different.”
Break through the apathy
Who are the rebels in the organisation? The contrarians and the complainers are anti-apathy ambassadors. It’s essential for leaders to engage with this cohort, ask questions, and listen. They offer valuable insights about how and why employees are frustrated or overwhelmed.
“I actually look for that rebellion. They have something to say about it. It may not be what leadership wants them to say, but there’s actually a passion that is piercing through some of that that numbness,” says Lori Niles-Hofmann, Founder, 8 Levers.
Apathy is difficult to maintain when having fun. Particularly in distributed workforces, intentionally infusing play principles into the workday give people freedom to explore, take risks and fail safely. These tangible markers help teams reconnect with purpose and see the future taking shape, one meaningful step at a time. Spotify’s “squad” model illustrates this well. Small teams work with autonomy while staying linked through chapters and guilds, balancing accountability and community. The result is culture change that scales up across the organization.
Un-numbing Generation Numb is not negotiable for forward-focused organisations. Companies that confront this reality directly will be meeting a deeply human need within their workforce while simultaneously ensuring their long-term sustainability and growth. And by returning meaning to work, a question arises: could a connected and purpose-driven workplace become the steadying, human-focused influence that is so scarce for so many of us right now? Bold organisations will answer that question – and likely with a resounding yes.
Josh Cardoz is Chief Creative & Learning Officer at Sponge
