Technology—particularly the internet and social media—is invariably changing the way people engage, make decisions and exhibit loyalty. Fragmented content consumption, constant distraction, and consumer control continue to shift the rules on all of us. Not only is this the new reality for brands trying to reach and inspire a connection with consumers, but it's also the new reality for companies seeking to reach and drive a relationship with their employees.

So what do employees today expect and want in exchange for their attention and loyalty? Given Rapt Media’s focus on enhancing the company-employee connection, we were curious to find out.

We recently surveyed 400 full-time employees of large companies in the U.S. to gather insights and opinions about their current employers, company leadership, training materials, and internal communications. Key findings from the report provide a snapshot of employee engagement in the American workplace:

1. Internal brand loyalty must be earned, not taken for granted.
   Most employees at large organizations feel little or no loyalty to their current employer. One in three employees feel like their employers don’t care about them, and a staggering 69 percent are open to other opportunities or already seeking their next job.
2. Employees want to form personal connections with company leaders.
   More than half of respondents think company leaders are detached from the workforce.
3. Better content drives more relevant, interesting internal communications.
   Employees want to offer more direction and feedback about their preferences. Seventy-three percent are ready to share suggestions but feel like they’re not being heard.
4. Boring, static training materials must be re-imagined.
   Stale, outdated corporate training materials are unmemorable, and employees don’t recall much information. Seventy-four percent have forgotten some or all of the last mandatory training they completed.

Employee expectations have significantly and permanently changed, creating unique challenges for companies to attract, recruit, motivate and retain talent. Instead, businesses must create authentic, engaging connections to cultivate genuine internal brand loyalty among employees.

Download the full report, U.S. Employees: Detached, Disengaged, and Disenchanted to uncover more insights on the challenges faced and what to do about it.