Manager Effectiveness - Good for Business

When it comes to employee engagement, one question surfaces time and again: what’s the biggest driver? Opinions vary widely, and a Google search will return more answers than you care to read.

However, one point remains constant in Gallup’s research: managers are the single most influential factor in an employee’s experience, responsible for at least 70% of the variance in engagement scores across business units.

I completely agree with this insight. In my experience, the relationship with one’s immediate manager or supervisor is the primary driver of engagement.

In every company I’ve worked for, improving managers’ effectiveness has been a cornerstone of my HR strategy.

However, becoming a good manager is not an instinctive skill and is rarely addressed with adequate training in most organizations. This raises a fundamental question: if managers don’t recognize areas for improvement, how can they be expected to make changes? The answer is they can’t—not without support and self-awareness.

I’ve been training for more than 3 decades and I often ask participants to recall a bad boss they’ve had. The top five responses usually include: micromanagement, poor communication, lack of empathy or support, lack of recognition, and blame-shifting.

Unfortunately, most bad bosses probably don’t realize they’re viewed negatively. Harvard Business Review notes that micromanagers often justify their behavior as essential for achieving goals, usually due to a lack of trust in their teams or fear of losing control. Many managers believe they’re simply “doing their job,” often unaware of the negative effects their actions have on their team’s morale and engagement.

Recognizing this behavior is the first step toward change, which is why our academy session, Harnessing Emotional Intelligence, focuses on building self-awareness and emotional intelligence as foundational leadership skills.

Why is Effective Managers important?

Effective managers don’t just create a better work environment—they build a more engaged workforce. And engagement has measurable results: engaged teams are 21% more productive, experience 59% less turnover in high-turnover industries (24% in lower-turnover industries), are 23% more profitable, have 41% less absenteeism, and boost customer loyalty by 10%.

Investing in manager training that focuses on self-awareness and emotional intelligence isn’t just good for employees; it’s a clear advantage for business performance and company culture.

Our Academy is a great first step!

Ready to make a cultural impact? Learn more about our academy or pick an upcoming event that works for you!