Managers are experiencing increasing challenges, burdened by heavier workloads and burnout from daily crises. The role of management itself is under scrutiny, with particular groups facing more difficulties than others.
According to a Gallup report, manager engagement fell from 30% to 27%, based on data from over 200,000 individuals collected from April to December 2024. Notably, young managers and female managers reported the largest declines, with engagement for those under 35 dropping by five percentage points, and for women, by seven points.
Managers have faced numerous disruptions, including post-pandemic retirements, turnover, disrupted supply chains, and the AI revolution. In an era of increasing disconnect between executives and employees, managers are tasked with making operations work effectively.
The reasons for the steep decline in engagement among younger managers remain unclear. Younger employees also report higher disengagement than older generations, and many are hesitant to pursue senior roles. A survey by Robert Walters found that approximately 72% of Gen Z would prefer to remain independent contributors rather than assume middle-management positions.
The drop in engagement among female managers is particularly concerning due to existing obstacles in achieving leadership roles. LinkedIn data from 2024 indicates women are promoted or hired into management trajectories at lower rates than men. This disparity contributes to women making up only around 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs.
Disengaged managers can significantly impact companies as they are crucial to addressing worker engagement issues. Gallup research indicates that managers account for 70% of team engagement, with disengagement among managers potentially leading to team disengagement.
Organizations can take steps to enhance the manager experience. Training programs reduce disengagement by half and improve performance by up to 28%. Moreover, ongoing development initiatives increase manager well-being by 32%. According to the Gallup report, investing in managerial training and development is one of the most effective strategies for improving workplace well-being.
This article was originally published on Fortune.com.
