Man shouting into megaphone

Stop blaming managers

  • It’s easy to blame managers for employee disengagement. Has it ever crossed your mind that they’re being handed an almost impossible task.
  • According to new research by Gallup, managers have been expected to juggle new executive demands, shrinking budgets, digital disruption, and rapidly changing employee expectations around flexibility and wellbeing.
  • We need to tackle the real issue of employee health head-on, beginning with how we support our managers.
  • Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report says stress, sadness, and loneliness are on the rise among managers.
  • At the same time, the percentage of employees feeling disengaged at work now is the same as pre-pandemic. It’s low at 21% but it’s consistent.
  • Managers are struggling.
  • Gallup finds that 70% of a team’s engagement is directly attributable to its manager. When managers struggle, entire teams and whole businesses feel the impact.
  • If you want to stop your staff leaving your organisation muttering about ‘bad managers’ under their breath then you really need to look at what’s happening with your managers themselves.
  • Give managers stretching and possible tasks
  • Ensure that people understand and are trained on new tools, like AI
  • Support them to manage hybrid teams properly
  • Train them well to manage change
  • Give them access to mental health support
  • It is cost effective to invest in your employees. ?The average employee turnover rate in the UK is now reported at around 35%, meaning more than one in three employees leave their jobs each year.
  • Replacing each employee costs between 75% and 200% of their annual salary.
  • How much better would it be to use that money to support your managers, rather than lose valuable employees that you’ve spent time and money recruiting and training?
  • Supporting them with access to a mental health professional is great and may help an immediate issue. And for a longer-term remedy why not work with one of our associates so you set realistic and resourced solutions for your teams.
  • It’s easy to blame managers. Instead of blaming managers, let’s support them to do a role that’s achievable and enjoyable.
  • What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments..
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