In 2024, manager engagement fell from 30% to 27%, according to Gallup. Engagement among managers under the age of 35 fell even more steeply – by five percentage points, and female manager engagement dropped by a whopping 7 points.

What’s going on? Managers have found themselves caught in the middle—juggling shifting executive priorities and rising employee expectations. Post-pandemic, many workplaces saw dramatic changes: high turnover, rapid growth in some sectors, layoffs in others. Supply chain disruptions and the end of government stimulus have tightened budgets. Meanwhile, employees are pushing for the flexibility and remote work arrangements they experienced during the pandemic, which some organizations rolled back. The result? Managers have more work to do on a tighter budget with new and less engaged teams.

Managers need support and training for having difficult performance conversations with their team members, to be able to foster an environment of trust and collaboration and to increase employees’ commitment to good work.

“Only 48% of managers strongly agree that they currently have the skills needed to be exceptional at their job.”