I Hate It Here S11 E10: Engagement Scores Don't Lie, But the Way You're Using Them Absolutely Does with Anne Maltese
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Mar 16, 2026 Anne Maltese, VP of People Insights at Quantum Workplace with nearly 20 years in people data, talks about how engagement scores get misread. She explains why single numbers miss context. Short, tactical ideas on smarter questions for leaders, spotting disengaged top performers, and clearer data storytelling keep the conversation punchy and practical.
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Lead With Context Not One Number
- Don't present a single overall engagement score as a catch-all; leaders ask 'Is engagement healthy?' as a quick risk check.
- Lead presentations with nuanced context: what the score means and which populations require action.
Disengagement Signals Broken Conditions
- Disengagement is often a symptom of workplace conditions, not an employee trait.
- Example: a low-productivity, low-engagement department lacked a needed tool — fix the condition, not the people.
Assess Manager Capability Not Only Team Scores
- Ask whether managers themselves are positioned to lead performing teams, not just how their teams score.
- Anne Maltese finds engagement often breaks down at director level, which then cascades to teams.