"Bridging the Great Detachment: Strategies for Enhancing Engagement and Productivity in the Public Sector"

---

The “Great Detachment” is a growing challenge in today’s workplace, leading to decreased engagement, productivity, and innovation. As employees become more disengaged, organizations face increased risks, including security lapses, non-compliance, and rogue workflows that undermine policies. This session, co-presented with LACER CIO Vikram Jadhav, will examine the root causes of detachment and explore strategies to reconnect employees to their work and organizational mission.

​

Through the case study of LACERS, we will highlight a two-fold approach: resetting expectations to align with executive vision and upskilling staff to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Attendees will learn how balancing an “organizationalist” approach (prioritization and structure) with a “humanist” perspective (employee development and support) fosters a more engaged and resilient workforce. This session will equip public sector leaders with actionable strategies to enhance engagement and future-proof their organizations.

​

Through this session, you'll know how to:​​

1. Combat Employee Detachment – Address the “Great Detachment” by realigning expectations and engagement strategies to boost productivity, innovation, and security.

2. Balance Organizational and Human Needs – Integrate an “organizationalist” approach (resetting priorities) with a “humanist” approach (upskilling staff) to create a resilient and motivated workforce.

3. Implement Actionable Strategies – Leverage insights from the LACERS case study to reset expectations, develop skill-building programs, and foster a more connected and engaged public sector workforce.

​

Speaker Bio:

Sara Loncka has always been drawn to creating spaces that bring people together to build something meaningful. As a child, this meant staging neighborhood plays, discovering the joy of collaboration, and inviting others to contribute to a shared vision. Today, as CEO of Experience Institute (Ei), she channels that same dedication into workplace learning, guided by a central question: How can work become a place where people feel excited to learn, grow, and make an impact?

 

At Ei, Sara partners with organizations across industries—from global engineering firms to entertainment leaders—to design transformative learning experiences that unlock potential and build trust, collaboration, and purpose. Her career spans leadership development, entrepreneurship, education, and the arts, including leading the Coro Fellowship, co-launching a women’s luxury fashion brand, and teaching middle school history.

 

Blending creativity, curiosity, and care, Sara helps teams transform workplaces into environments where growth and motivation thrive. A lifelong learner, she’s currently tackling French, young adult fiction-writing, and navigating Los Angeles on a moped.