Two engineers seem disengaged but say they're 'fine'. What do you do?

Ask open, specific questions in 1:1s over several weeks (what energises and drains them, what they want to get better at, what would make them leave), then shape their work around the answers — stretch projects, ownership, less draining work — and follow up.

Is money the main lever for engagement?

Rarely on its own. Below-market pay is a real problem to raise with data, but day-to-day engagement is mostly driven by clarity, meaningful work, growth, recognition and removing friction — things the lead influences directly.

How do you give recognition effectively?

Specifically (what they did and its impact), often, close to the event, and in the form each person prefers — some like public praise, others private or written recognition.

Motivation and Engagement — The Team Lead Handbook

Scenario

Example team: the checkout team delivers reliably, but two of the six engineers seem flat: they do their tickets, rarely speak in planning, and one updated their LinkedIn profile last week. The team lead assumes a pay rise is the only fix and has no budget for it.

What you see on the team

Quiet disengagement: fewer ideas, minimal participation, "fine" in every 1:1.
Good people doing repetitive work far below their level.
Surprise resignations of people who "seemed fine".
The lead treating motivation as something only money can fix.

The common mistake

Treating motivation as one-size-fits-all (or as only a compensation question) instead of understanding what each person needs and shaping work around it.

Why it happens

Engagement problems are quiet. People rarely say "I'm bored" or "I don't see why this matters". Leads focus on delivery signals, which stay green until someone leaves. Yet the team lead's influence is large: Gallup reports that managers account for up to 70% of the variance in employee engagement (Gallup) — most of it through everyday things like clarity, recognition and growth, not pay.

The playbook

Ask each person directly (in 1:1s, over a few weeks):

- What kind of work gives you energy? What drains you?
- When did you last feel really proud of your work here?
- What would you like to be better at a year from now?
- How do you like to receive recognition - publicly, privately, in writing?
- What would make you consider leaving?

Shape work around the answers where you can: a stretch project, ownership of an area, a chance to present, pairing with someone they want to learn from, less of the work that drains them.

Connect work to impact. Share customer feedback, metrics after launches, and why a project matters.

Recognise specifically and often, in the way each person prefers.

Remove friction — slow tools, unclear priorities, constant interruptions drain motivation faster than anything you can add.

Know the limits: pay below market is a real problem; raise it with your manager with data. But compensation rarely fixes boredom or lack of growth.

What to say

In a 1:1 with a disengaged engineer:

"You've seemed a bit quieter in the last few weeks. I might be reading it wrong — how are things for you, honestly? Is there work you'd like more of, or less of?"

Following up:

"You said you'd like to get better at system design. The payment-provider migration needs a design doc next month — would you like to own it? I'll review it with you."

Trade-offs

Not everyone wants growth right now; some want stability and good work. That's fine — ask, don't assume.
Stretch work carries delivery risk; pair it with support and checkpoints.
You can't give everyone the interesting work; rotate it and be transparent about how it's assigned.

Signals it's working

People bring ideas and volunteer for work.
You know, for each person, what energises them and what they're working towards.
Fewer surprise resignations; concerns surface in 1:1s first.
Recognition is frequent and specific.

Key points

Engagement is individual: ask each person what energises and drains them.
Shape work around growth goals; connect work to its impact.
Recognise specifically and in each person's preferred way; remove friction.
Raise genuine pay issues with data, but don't expect money to fix boredom.