Perspectives: Running on Empty

April 8, 2026 at 2:00 pm ET

How HR Leaders Can Reignite Team Motivation When the World Feels Heavy

Team motivation is at a historic low, and it didn’t happen by accident.

Today’s workforce is absorbing pressure from every direction: economic uncertainty, AI disruption, return-to-office mandates, and the quiet weight of personal stress. While nearly 8 in 10 employees start their current role motivated, a shift happens soon after. Nearly three-quarters now observe disengagement among their coworkers, and only 16% report that their work consistently feels meaningful.

This panel discussion explores the leadership challenges draining motivation, what HR can realistically influence, and how to build a culture where focus and energy are protected, not depleted.

In this session, we will:

• Understand the motivation crisis in full context. Identify the external, internal, and individual forces (like cognitive overload and digital distraction) converging to drain employee energy, and discover why standard engagement interventions are missing the mark.
• Clarify HR’s sphere of influence. Distinguish between what HR can directly shape and what requires broader organizational will, so you can learn to lead effectively within that distinction.
• Apply a realistic framework for reigniting team performance. Explore practical, behavioral-driven strategies that HR leaders can champion to help employees find meaning and focus without overextending their teams.
• Fix the manager-employee disconnect. With only 10% of employees finding their 1:1 manager meetings consistently productive, walk away with a shared accountability model that distributes ownership appropriately across all levels of the organization.
• Build a credible internal case for investment. Learn why employees rank “clearer priorities” as the #1 fix for motivation, and gain a conceptual ROI framework for advocating to leadership that addressing motivation is a strategic business priority, not a soft one.

Credits

Bonus for our live attendees… tune in for 1 HRCI and 1 SHRM credit!

Panelists—TBA!

Hema Crockett, she/her

Co-Founder, Gig Talent

Jackie Dube, she/her

SVP of People Operations