Key findings from Gallup’s research show that only 30 percent of managers and 23 percent of employees are engaged globally overall (although the research recognizes that some organizations reach much higher employee engagement levels).

Disengaged managers create a ripple effect throughout their teams. When managers are checked out, employees feel it. They become demotivated, less productive, and more likely to seek employment elsewhere.

The cost of this disengagement is staggering: Gallup estimates that disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.9 trillion annually, nearly 9 percent of global GDP.

Why Are So Many Managers Disengaged?

The answer to this question is complex, but a few key reasons stand out:

Overwhelm and Burnout

Managers today are juggling more than ever before. Many are trying to manage hybrid teams, deal with shrinking budgets, and handle heightened employee expectations around work-life balance. Research by Microsoft in 2022 found that 53 percent of managers have experienced burnout.

Lack of Support and Development

Despite their pivotal role, many managers feel they lack the training, tools and support to succeed. Mindtools’ own Building Better Managers report found that 50 percent of managers received no support from their organization when they transitioned into the role.

Misaligned Priorities

Managers are often stuck in the middle, balancing strategic organizational goals with the day-to-day needs of their team. Without clarity or support from senior leaders, it can feel like they’re being pulled in multiple directions, leading to frustration and disengagement.

The Importance of Prioritizing Manager Development

So what’s to be done? To tackle the engagement crisis, organizations need to prioritize the development and wellbeing of their managers. Engaged managers are not only more productive and innovative themselves, but they also foster engagement in their teams, leading to better business outcomes.

Here are some key ways organizations can focus on manager development:

Provide Leadership Training

Many managers, particularly first-time ones, are promoted into their roles because of their technical expertise, not their managerial skills. And they receive little or no training on the interpersonal and leadership skills needed to engage and inspire teams.

Organizations need to provide ongoing leadership development programs that focus on communication, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and team motivation to address the skills gap.

Encourage Regular Feedback

Managers, like other employees, need regular feedback to know how they’re performing. Organizations should foster a culture of continuous feedback, where managers receive both constructive criticism and praise. This not only helps managers improve but also boosts their engagement by providing them with the validation and direction they need.

Offer Support for Wellbeing

Just as organizations provide wellbeing resources for employees, they need to extend this to managers. Access to mental health support, wellness programs, and flexible work arrangements can significantly reduce burnout and help managers to feel more supported in their roles.

Focus on Career Growth

Managers need to feel like their career is progressing. Organizations should ensure managers have clear pathways for growth and development, whether that’s through internal promotions, lateral moves, or leadership training opportunities.

How Managers Can Stay Engaged With Their Teams

Beyond organizational efforts, managers themselves can take steps to stay engaged and ensure their team’s engagement remains high. Here are some practical tips for managers:

Build Strong Relationships

Take time to get to know your team members individually. Understand their strengths, motivations, and personal goals. When employees feel seen and valued, they are more likely to be engaged. Regular one-on-one meetings focused on employee development, rather than just task updates, can go a long way in building trust and engagement.

Foster a Culture of Recognition

Regularly recognize and celebrate the contributions of your team. Acknowledging achievements – both big and small – can create a more positive and motivating work environment. Research by Gallup and Workhuman found that employees who feel well-recognized are 45 percent less likely to have quit for another job two years later.

Encourage Autonomy and Ownership

Micromanagement is a surefire way to disengage your team. Give employees autonomy in their work and the opportunity to take ownership of projects. When team members feel trusted to make decisions, their sense of responsibility and engagement increases.

Lead by Example

If you want an engaged team, you need to model that behavior. Show enthusiasm for your work, communicate openly, and be transparent about challenges. When your team sees you are invested and committed, they are more likely to follow suit.

The Bottom Line: Engaged Managers Drive Success

The connection between manager engagement and team engagement is undeniable. Organizations that invest in the development and wellbeing of their managers are not just doing it for the sake of the managers – they are investing in the success of the entire organization. Engaged managers lead to engaged teams, and engaged teams are the backbone of innovation, productivity and business success.

In a time when managing people is harder than ever, it’s critical that organizations take the wellbeing and development of their managers seriously. By prioritizing manager engagement, businesses can unlock the full potential of their workforce – leading to stronger performance, higher retention rates, and a more resilient organization overall.

What's Next?

Take a look at our video Building Employee Engagement for some great ideas. Or check out our Skill Bites on Empowering Employees and Recognition, both vital to driving engagement. And if you feel you might be suffering from burnout, you can find out for sure, with our Burnout Self-Test.

Tip of the Week

How to Support Your Team Through the Hardest of Times

By Catriona MacLeod, Mind Tools Managing Editor

Some of us said our final farewells to a much-loved former colleague this week.

When a team loses a colleague, whether due to moving on, redundancy or bereavement, it can be hard on those who knew and worked with them. This is especially true for virtual teams, where feelings of isolation can creep in.

Supporting your team during this time is crucial. The following tips can help:

• Foster open communication: Encourage team members to share their feelings openly and offer your support.
• Avoid over-reliance on text: Emails or texts may miss emotional cues. Prioritize video calls for clearer communication where appropriate.
• Promote peer support: Remind colleagues to reach out informally to one another, but emphasize tact and sensitivity in conversations.
• Acknowledge grief: Understand that people respond to loss differently. Offer flexibility or time off where needed, and ask how you can help.
• Lighten the load: Temporarily redistribute tasks for those closest to the former colleague, if you can.
• Offer professional support: Signpost mental health resources and other appropriate support services to your team members.

Showing empathy and keeping communication open will help your team to navigate the loss together, even remotely. For more advice, see our article, Coping With Grief and Loss in a Virtual Team.

Pain Points Podcast

What do we mean by “trauma” and how can this manifest itself and impact team members at work?

How do you respectfully approach this difficult subject in the workplace, and offer your support to a team member without crossing professional boundaries?

Here to help answer these questions and more is Katharine Manning: trauma counselor, coach and author of “The Empathetic Workplace.” She brings her wealth of expertise to this week’s Pain Points podcast: “How Do You Deal With a Team Member's Trauma?”

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News Roundup

This Week's Global Workplace Insights

Your Attention, Please!

Struggling with your concentration? You’re not alone. According to BBC Science Focus, quoting research from the University of California at Irvine, human attention spans may have decreased to just 47 seconds. That’s down from two-and-a-half minutes since 2004.

So what can you do?

Here are a few tips from BBC Science Focus, to boost your attention span:

• Sync your body clock. Align your most demanding tasks with your natural peak focus times, often around 10 a.m. and 2-3 p.m.
• Use cool lighting. Blue and green hues improve focus better than warmer tones like red or orange.
• Practice martial arts. Training your mind to stay present through martial arts can lead to long-lasting improvements in focus.
• Visualize your future self. Imagine how you want to feel at the end of the day to stay motivated and avoid distractions.

See our Top Tips for Staying Focused for more pointers.

Back to the Back-to-the-Office Debate

When, where and how often organizations require their staff to turn up to their designated place of work continues to be a hot topic. Recently, Amazon boss Andy Jassy mandated its corporate employees to return to the office five days a week, starting in January. In a memo to staff he said this would mean employees were "better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other."

While we assume that staff reactions to this news would be mixed, some disgruntled staffers took to social media to express their opposition.

Writing in The Guardian, organizational psychologist Sir Cary Cooper likened employers who require full-time attendance in the office to the dinosaurs of the age." He mentioned there was "overwhelming evidence" that flexible working boosted job satisfaction, staff retention, and could contribute to productivity at work.

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See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mind Tools team!