Manager engagement has taken a nosedive, but here’s the deal: it also presents a golden opportunity for HR to step in. According to recent findings, disengaged managers lead to disengaged teams, which totally affects productivity and team morale. Let’s delve into what’s going on and how HR can turn things around.
Key Points
- Manager engagement dropped from 30% in 2023 to 27% in 2024.
- Disengaged managers lead to decreased employee engagement, impacting culture and retention.
- Gallup reports this decline costs a whopping $438bn in lost productivity.
- Core issues include unclear responsibilities, misalignment between departments, and ineffective training.
- Focusing on developing coaching skills and building value-focused teams can help re-engage managers.
Content Summary
The article discusses the alarming trend of declining manager engagement as highlighted in Gallup’s _State of the Global Workplace: 2025_ report. It reveals that manager engagement fell to 27% in 2024, a significant drop that is predominantly affecting young and female managers. The report suggests that this disengagement stems from systematic issues such as unclear strategic priorities, misalignment between departments, and inadequate training that fails to translate to practical, on-the-job skills.
To combat these challenges, the article proposes three main strategies: reviving coaching as a core managerial skill, fostering value-creating teams, and transforming leadership mindsets to create a more engaged workforce. The idea is that if HR focuses on these aspects, they can rekindle enthusiasm among managers, ultimately boosting team morale and productivity.
Context and Relevance
This article is incredibly relevant as organisations navigate the ongoing challenges of hybrid work and shifting management paradigms. Understanding how to enhance manager engagement is critical for fostering a more motivated workforce and improving overall business performance. With the potential increase in productivity at stake, HR teams have a timely opportunity to implement meaningful changes that could have lasting impacts.
Why should I read this?
If you’re in HR or management, this article is a must-read! It breaks down the urgent need to address manager engagement and offers practical strategies to turn things around. Save time and gain valuable insights that can help rekindle motivation and connection within your teams—because happy managers lead to happy employees!
