61% of Workers Are Languishing at Work in 2026 — New Research Reveals Why

# 61% of Workers Are Languishing at Work in 2026 — New Research Reveals Why

> **Quick answer:** A 2026 University of Illinois study of 2,000 US workers found that 61% are languishing — meaning they feel disengaged, unmotivated, and unfulfilled at work. The research identifies two conditions that reliably predict whether someone flourishes instead: genuine autonomy and real organizational support. Your personality type shapes how loudly these conditions affect you — and whether you notice yourself slipping into languishing before it becomes burnout.

Workers are languishing at work in 2026 at unprecedented rates, and a major new university study finally explains the mechanism behind it — not just the symptoms. Published in January 2026 by researchers at the University of Illinois, Emory University, and the University of Michigan, the Annual Workplace Wellbeing Report surveyed 2,000 US workers and found that nearly two in three are not thriving. Here is what the data says, and what it means for how you work.

## The Languishing Crisis: What the 2026 Data Actually Shows

The report, led by Professor Oscar Ybarra of the University of Illinois Gies College of Business, with co-principal investigators Corey Keyes (Professor Emeritus, Emory University) and Ethan Kross (Professor, University of Michigan), delivers one of the starkest snapshots of American workplace health in years.

**The core numbers:** - **61%** of US workers are languishing — a four-point increase from 57% in August 2024 - **39%** are flourishing - **38%** of languishing employees report frequent burnout, compared to 29% of flourishers - **34%** of languishing workers plan to leave their employer within 12 months