It’s no secret that managers are not doing well. They’re toiling under heavier workloads, burned-out from spending their days putting out fires, and the very existence of their roles is under renewed scrutiny. But some groups of bosses are suffering more than others.
Manager engagement in general fell from 30% to 27%, according to a recent Gallup report based on data from more than 200,000 people from April through December of 2024. Young managers and female managers in particular reported the steepest declines—engagement levels for bosses under 35 years old fell by five percentage points, while that number for women declined by seven percentage points.
Bosses overall have had to deal with an array of business disruptions over the past few years, including an uptick in post-pandemic retirements and turnover, disrupted supply chains, and the AI revolution. “In an era where executives and employees seem farther apart than they have been in years, managers are handed an almost impossible task of making it all work in the real world,” the report states.
It’s not clear why there was such a steep drop in engagement levels for younger managers, but their rank-and-file brethren are also feeling unmoored. Younger employees in general reported higher disengagement levels than older generations, according to a Gallup report from last year. And when it comes to even trying to secure more senior roles, many young people are ambivalent. For instance, around 72% of Gen Z workers say they’d rather stay independent contributors than take on middle-management roles, according to a recent survey from recruiting firm Robert Walters.
The engagement drop among women managers is particularly troubling given the existing barriers this group faces when it comes to securing leadership roles. Women are getting promoted or hired into roles that would lead to management at a lower rate than their male counterparts, according to LinkedIn data from 2024. And those barriers can have major ripple effects—today, only around 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.
Disengaged managers in general can also have major repercussions for companies—this group can be the “linchpin” when it comes to solving worker engagement issues. Around 70% of team engagement is attributable to managers, according to previous Gallup research. “If managers are disengaged, their teams are, too,” the report reads.
But there are some steps that organizations can take to improve the manager experience. Bosses who get training report only half the disengagement levels of those who do not, according to the most recent Gallup report. Teaching this group effective coaching techniques is also critical, and can boost their performance by up to 28%. And finally, making sure this investment continues is key: Ongoing development increased manager well-being by 32%.
“When we consider the additional influence of great managers on their teams, manager training and development may be one of the most effective ‘well-being initiatives’ employers can invest in,” the report reads.
