In 2012, only 14% of Thai workers were truly engaged in their jobs. By 2025, however, the figure had reached 34%, more than doubling within a decade. This made Thailand one of the five countries with the highest increases in employee engagement in the world since 2014, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report.
In Southeast Asia, no other country has come close to that leap.
However, during the same period, the percentage of Thai workers who viewed their life situation positively actually declined from 48% to 41%.
Thailand on paper, but not in every aspect
Gallup defines employee engagement as workers’ involvement in and enthusiasm for their work and workplace, including their emotional attachment to the organization. By that measure, Thailand’s position is indeed notable.
The 34% figure is well above both the Southeast Asian average (25%) and the global average (20%). The 19-point increase since 2014 also exceeds that of its neighbors: Indonesia rose by 18 points to 27%, Malaysia by 11 points, and Myanmar by 10 points.
But although engagement has doubled since 2014, the percentage of Thai workers classified as “thriving,” meaning those who evaluate their life situation positively, actually declined over the same period.
In 2014, the figure stood at 48%. After falling to 33% in 2017 following the military coup, it only recovered to 41% by 2025, still below its peak a decade earlier.
Engagement Rises, but Job Opportunities feel limited
A similar picture emerges when Thai workers are asked about the job market. In 2025, 56% said it was a good time to find a job in the city or area where they lived.
That figure is much better than during the pandemic, when only 32% were optimistic. However, it remains below the current Southeast Asian average of 64%, and well below the 70% recorded during the 2012 to 2014 period.
Gallup notes that Thailand’s post-pandemic economic growth has been slower than in previous periods, even though the actual unemployment rate has remained low.
Most Thai Workers Are Still Not Engaged
In 2025, 60% of Thai workers still fell into the "not engaged" category, meaning they show up and complete their tasks but lack enthusiasm. Another 5% were classified as "actively disengaged," meaning they actively express dissatisfaction and may negatively affect the workplace environment.
Both figures have improved from a decade ago, when the share of not engaged workers stood above 80%, while actively disengaged workers reached a peak of 9% in 2021 and 2022. In other words, only one out of every three Thai workers is truly engaged in their job.
Even so, that figure remains notable when compared with global trends. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, its lowest level since 2020.
It was also the first time Gallup recorded two consecutive years of declining engagement worldwide. In fact, no region recorded an increase. Gallup estimates that global disengagement resulted in approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity in 2024, equivalent to 9% of global GDP.
What Has Changed and What Hasn't
Gallup cites foreign investment in the digital economy and government workforce development programs as two factors that have contributed to the rise in engagement over the past decade. This transformation has created new job opportunities and helped Thai workers gain access to growing sectors.
However, the wellbeing and job market optimism data suggest that higher workplace engagement has not been fully translated into better overall living conditions. Engagement measures what happens inside the workplace. What happens outside the workplace appears to tell a different story.
