From like to love: What’s really keeping employees at work

People are disengaged at work. They’re hopping jobs. They don’t care as much as previous generations did.

For a while, I believed it too. After all, you hear it everywhere: in leadership meetings, on LinkedIn threads, even over coffee with peers.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.  

In a global Pluxee study, 61% of employees said they actually like their company and feel positive about it.

Employees aren’t disengaged. 
They’re not checked out. 
They’re not indifferent.

They actually like where they work. But there’s still that missing piece. 

That a-ha moment

Here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: liking a company isn’t what fuels long-term commitment.

Think about the times work genuinely lit you up — when you felt proud to say where you work, when your role felt meaningful, when wins felt personal. instead of procedural. That isn’t liking your job. That’s loving it.

And that’s what powers those big organizational goals, that long-term vision, that willingness to go the extra mile out of genuine “malasakit”, even when things get tough.

When employees only like their workplace, they tend to stay, but cautiously, comfortably, quietly.

Enter job hugging

There’s a trend emerging across industries called job hugging.

It’s what happens when employees stay—not because they’re deeply fulfilled, but because they’re unsure of what’s out there. They feel safe, stable, and mildly satisfied… but also quietly wondering:

• Am I still growing?
• Do I still matter here?
• Is this all there is?

I’ve heard versions of this from leaders and employees alike.

From leaders when they say: “Our attrition is low, but engagement isn’t where we want it to be.”

From employees when they shrug: “I’m okay where I am. I’m just…not sure I’m excited anymore.”

That’s job hugging—when one is driven by fear and only stays out of familiarity or fear of the unknown. On paper, everything looks fine. But beneath the surface, momentum starts to slow.  

What we’ve learned from high‑engagement organizations

Across industries, one insight keeps repeating: commitment doesn’t come from big gestures—it comes from daily proof.

High‑engagement companies don’t try to wow employees. They focus on making sure that employees know they matter, their work matters, and their growth matters.

That’s why perks and one‑off programs rarely move the needle. Engagement is built through experiences that feel human, intentional, and consistent. Recognition is on time. Rewards feel relevant. Communication flows both ways.

When those basics are done well, employees don’t just show up. They start believing in the organization again.

Turning connection into commitment

The upgrade from “like” to “love” isn’t about asking employees to care more. It’s about giving them a reason to. That means:

• Designing engagement around real employee values, not assumptions
• Creating appreciation that’s timely and personal
• Making growth visible, not abstract
• And helping people see not just the company vision, but their place in it

When employees feel connected to the why, loyalty stops feeling forced. Purpose replaces hesitation. And staying becomes a choice made with intention, not habit.  

Making the shift real

Today, engagement can’t be about keeping people merely content.

It’s about building confidence in their future, recognizing their value beyond results, and creating a sense of pride in belonging.

The shift from stability to true commitment is where performance lives. becomes real. And it’s absolutely possible.

This post was written by Margarette Perez, Accounts Manager and Employee Pluxee XPert.  

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