We talk a lot about employee engagement. About quiet quitting. About burnout. But too often, the conversation skips over one of the biggest drivers of all three: management.
The truth is simple. Engaged teams don’t happen by accident. They happen when they’re led by managers who are present, empowered, and emotionally invested in their people.
According to Gallup’s report on the global cost of disengagement, low engagement costs the world $8.9 trillion annually. That’s 9 percent of the global GDP just…gone.
It’s not just a soft-skill issue. It’s a performance crisis. And in most organizations, the people best positioned to solve it are the managers.
The Frontline Factor
In the average company, managers account for at least 70% of the variance in team engagement. That’s not speculation. That’s Gallup’s own data, and it underscores something too many organizations overlook: if your managers aren’t engaged, their teams probably aren’t either.
And that should be a wake-up call. Because when a leader checks out, when they’re burned out, unappreciated, or unsupported, the people under them feel it immediately.
They stop sharing ideas. They stop reaching for more. They start doing just enough to stay under the radar. And over time, even the best talent on the team starts looking elsewhere.
But when a manager shows up fully engaged, communicating clearly, recognizing effort, coaching instead of just correcting, it changes everything. Productivity rises. Turnover drops. And people start to take pride in their work again.
Management Isn’t Just a Title. It’s a Relationship.
According to this piece from Inc., companies that consistently outperform their peers have a common thread: strong, engaged leaders.
That doesn’t mean micromanagers. It means leaders who know their people. Who ask real questions. Who listen. Who act.
People don’t quit companies. They quit managers. And they stay for the same reason.
When someone feels seen and supported by their manager, their performance improves. Their stress goes down. Their connection to the company strengthens. Over time, they don’t just stay, they thrive.
That kind of trust doesn’t cost a dime. But it pays off in everything from retention to innovation to customer satisfaction.
Coaching Over Commanding
Today’s best managers aren’t taskmasters. They’re coaches. They don’t just assign work. They help people grow into roles that match their strengths. They know how to challenge without overwhelming, and how to praise without patronizing.
Gallup’s research shows that employees who receive daily feedback from their managers are three times more likely to be engaged. But here’s the kicker: only 1 in 3 employees strongly agree that they’ve received recognition in the last seven days.
That’s a huge gap. And it’s one managers can close, easily and affordably, by building recognition into their regular routines.
That could mean a quick message in a team chat. A shoutout in the weekly meeting. Or a well-timed gift that shows you’re paying attention to what someone brings to the table.
Recognition Builds Engagement, One Manager at a Time
If you want engaged teams, start by engaging your managers. And one of the fastest ways to do that is by recognizing their contributions, too.
It’s easy to assume that managers don’t need as much feedback. That because they’re leading others, they’ve got it all figured out. But managers are employees first. They need to feel valued just like everyone else.
Looking for a simple way to start? Try a thoughtful, personal gift. A great resource is Successories, which includes leadership gifts that managers actually want to use.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just has to feel sincere.
A Culture Shift That Starts at the Top
Employee engagement isn’t just about perks. It’s not about pizza parties or ping-pong tables. It’s about relationships. It’s about consistency. It’s about having the right people in the right roles, and giving them the tools to succeed.
None of this works without engaged managers
So here’s the challenge: Don’t just measure team performance. Measure manager engagement. Ask how they’re doing. Ask what they need. And when you see great leadership in action, reward it.
Because the companies that thrive over the next decade won’t be the ones with the flashiest branding or the biggest budgets. They’ll be the ones with managers who care—and teams that know it.