The Engagement Gap: Why Culture Isn't Trickling Down

2025-06-26  • 23 min

The Engagement Gap: Why Culture Isn't Trickling Down with Kate Rehling

Culture Over Coffee

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Engagement may be strong at the top...but it’s not making its way down the org chart.  

In this episode, Beth sits down with Kate Rehling, Senior Talent Analyst and Engagement Specialist at Up Your Culture, to explore the troubling disconnect between executives and employees when it comes to culture and engagement.  

Kate shares some amazing thoughts to consider, like: 

• How front-line employees can easily feel disconnected if communication is top-down and infrequent
• Why managers are the mirror for how culture is functioning in real-time
• And, finally, why people can’t commit to the present if they don’t see a future.

Engagement at the Top, Disconnection at the Bottom

While 80% of executives report feeling engaged, only 28% of frontline employees say the same. This massive gap reveals a breakdown in how culture and communication flow through an organization.

Executives, Kate explains, often have more autonomy, clearer visibility into strategy, and a deeper understanding of “the why” behind decisions.

Frontline employees, however, are left out of that loop far too often. Culture, she says, can’t be delivered through hallway posters or one-time announcements; it’s communicated in everyday interactions, team meetings, and feedback.

Without clear, intentional reinforcement, assumptions are made, and culture is lost in translation.

Managers: The Overstretched “Glue” of the Organization

Between the engaged executives and disengaged employees lies the middle tier: managers. Often considered “the glue,” managers are under immense pressure. They’re expected to drive results, support their teams emotionally, interpret top-level decisions, and often do so with limited resources or preparation.

Kate, a former middle manager herself, emphasized that this group needs more support than they’re getting. Many are promoted based on past performance rather than leadership experience. They need ongoing development, clear context behind tasks, and safe spaces to ask for help without fear of judgment.

Investing in managers is essential for building a culture that reaches the entire organization.

Purpose, Vision, and the Power of “Why”

One of the most compelling ideas in the episode was the importance of purpose. When employees don’t understand how their day-to-day work contributes to a larger mission, engagement suffers.

The “why” behind decisions must be communicated consistently; not just once or twice a year, but every time a new initiative rolls out or change is introduced.

Equally important is the company’s vision: the “where.” According to ENGAGE 2025: The Company Culture Report, only 71% of employees feel motivated by their company’s vision, and that number drops significantly for newer hires.

Kate used a powerful analogy to drive the point home: if your GPS refused to tell you where you were going, would you stay in the car? Or would you go back inside and give up on the trip? The same is true of employees: people can’t commit to the present if they don’t see the future.

Core Values: Say It, Mean It, Live It

When it comes to values, too many companies fall into the trap of treating them like decorative wall art. Nearly half of employees in the survey couldn’t name their organization’s core values. Even more concerning, 84% believe their leaders tolerate behavior that goes against them.

Kate stressed the need for clarity. Core values must be clearly defined and not left open to interpretation.

She offered a memorable analogy: your core values should be as specific as a restaurant’s closing checklist. Vague instructions like “clean up” don’t work and neither does a vague value like “accountability” without context. What does it always mean? What does it never mean?

With clear definitions, tough conversations become easier and culture becomes more consistent.

One Action Leaders Can Take Right Now

So, what can leaders do today to bridge the culture gap?

Kate recommends embedding your shared mission (your purpose, values, and vision) into the rhythm of your week. One simple practice: add your shared mission to the top of every meeting agenda. Spend five minutes reviewing it. Celebrate people who embody your values. Connect announcements and initiatives back to your purpose and vision.

And don’t overlook your internal champions. Kate calls them “culture all-stars”: employees who naturally live out your culture and are eager to share it. Empower them to become messengers and momentum builders.