The relationship between you and your manager might be the most important factor in your career satisfaction—but that relationship is under unprecedented strain. According to Gallup's newly released 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, manager engagement has declined from 30% to 27% globally, marking one of the sharpest drops in recent years.

If your manager seems more stressed, less available, or increasingly overwhelmed, the data confirms what you're experiencing isn't isolated—it's a widespread crisis affecting workplace productivity, employee wellbeing, and career development worldwide.

While overall employee engagement remained relatively stable at 21% in 2024, managers experienced disproportionate declines:

• Female managers saw engagement drop by 7 percentage points
• Managers under 35 experienced a 5-point decline
• Manager wellbeing decreased alongside engagement levels
• Only 44% of managers report receiving any management training

These aren't just statistics—they represent the lived reality of millions of managers trying to bridge the gap between executive expectations and team needs with inadequate support.

Gallup estimates that global employee disengagement costs the world economy $438 billion annually in lost productivity. When managers—who account for 70% of team engagement—become disengaged themselves, the ripple effects multiply across entire organizations.

The past five years have created what researchers call an "impossible task" for managers:

• Post-pandemic restructuring and turnover
• Hiring booms followed by budget cuts
• Rapidly evolving technology and AI implementation
• Supply chain disruptions
• New remote and hybrid work expectations
• Increased employee demands for flexibility and development

One manager in the Gallup study described it this way: "Difficult decisions put pressure on me psychologically, such as hiring. And sometimes there aren't many resources. And there are also disputes between employees, facing problems, new systems, and so on."

Another put it more bluntly: "We should have a team of six people. There's only two of us. I think that is very stressful."

Gallup's research consistently shows that 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager. This means your manager's stress level, engagement, and wellbeing directly impact:

• Your job satisfaction
• Your productivity
• Your opportunities for development
• Your likelihood of staying with the organization
• Your overall career trajectory

When managers are struggling, their teams struggle. The data shows this relationship is so strong that it appears in country-level trends—nations with less engaged managers consistently have less engaged individual contributors.

You might be experiencing the effects of manager disengagement if:

• One-on-ones are frequently cancelled or rushed
• Feedback is sparse or unhelpfully vague
• Development conversations never happen
• Your manager seems reactive rather than strategic
• Recognition feels inconsistent or absent
• You're unclear about priorities or expectations
• Your questions go unanswered for extended periods

Understanding that these behaviors often stem from systemic pressure rather than personal deficiency can help you respond more strategically.

When your manager is overwhelmed, making their job easier becomes your competitive advantage.

Bring solutions, not just problems. Frame issues as: "Here's the challenge I'm facing, here are two approaches I've considered, and here's what I recommend based on X criteria. Do you agree?"

Front-load critical information. Start emails with the decision needed or action required. Busy managers skim—help them process quickly.

Batch your questions. Unless urgent, save questions for scheduled one-on-ones rather than interrupting throughout the week. This respects their fragmented attention and increases the quality of responses you receive.

Provide pre-reads for meetings. Send a brief agenda with context 24 hours before meeting. This allows preparation and often shortens meeting time.

If your manager lacks bandwidth for development conversations, diversify your mentorship sources.

Identify 3-5 advisors at different career stages:

• Someone 2-3 years ahead (tactical guidance)
• Someone in your target role (political navigation)
• Someone in leadership (strategic perspective)
• Someone in your field but different organization (industry trends)
• Someone with different functional expertise (skill expansion)

Make it sustainable: Schedule quarterly conversations, not weekly meetings. Come prepared with specific questions. Offer value in return by sharing what you're learning or connecting them with resources.

Look beyond your organization: Industry associations, professional networks, and online communities can provide guidance your internal structure cannot.

Don't wait for your manager to drive your growth—take ownership.

Document weekly wins. Keep a running "brag file" with:

• Accomplishments and their measurable impact
• Positive feedback from colleagues or clients
• Problems you solved or anticipated
• Skills you developed or applied

Set quarterly goals independently. Identify skills you want to build and projects you want to tackle. Present these to your manager as a proposal rather than waiting for them to assign development opportunities.

Seek feedback proactively. After completing projects, ask specific questions: "What would have made this deliverable stronger?" or "If you were doing this project, what would you have done differently?"

Sometimes the issue isn't just an overwhelmed manager—it's an organization that doesn't invest in management development.

Red flags that suggest systemic problems:

• Management positions are consistently filled by promoting top individual contributors without training
• Manager turnover is high
• No formal development programs exist for people leaders
• The organization cuts training budgets first during financial pressure
• Leaders openly dismiss "soft skills" as unnecessary

Questions to ask during job interviews:

• What training do new managers receive?
• How does the organization support manager development?
• What does the career path look like for both management and individual contributor tracks?
• How are managers evaluated on team development, not just deliverables?

Organizations that don't invest in management development create cycles of dysfunction that impact everyone. Recognizing this early can save years of career frustration.

While global engagement averages 21%, some organizations achieve 70% engagement. Gallup's research identified three common practices:

Organizations achieving high engagement ensure every manager receives basic training. Even rudimentary role training cuts extreme manager disengagement in half.

What this training typically includes:

• Core coaching and feedback skills
• How to conduct effective one-on-ones
• Performance management fundamentals
• Delegation and prioritization frameworks
• Difficult conversation navigation

High-performing organizations don't stop at initial training. They provide ongoing coaching skill development, which research shows improves manager performance by 20-28% and increases team engagement by up to 18%.

These gains persist 9-18 months after training, suggesting the skills become habitual rather than temporary.

The most powerful finding: when managers receive training and have someone at work actively encouraging their development, manager wellbeing increases from 28% to 50%—a 32% improvement.

Manager development might actually be the most effective "wellbeing initiative" an organization can implement.

The declining state of manager engagement should inform your career decisions.

The cultural narrative that upward career progression requires managing people is outdated. Excellent management requires:

• Specific interpersonal skills that differ from technical expertise
• Genuine interest in others' development
• High tolerance for ambiguity and conflicting demands
• Ability to influence without complete authority
• Comfort with administrative responsibilities

If those don't energize you, pursuing individual contributor excellence is a valid and valuable path.

If you are interested in management:

1. What training will I receive? If the answer is vague or "you'll figure it out," that's concerning.
2. Who will mentor me through the transition? First-time managers need consistent guidance.
3. What resources and authority come with this role? Being responsible for outcomes without commensurate resources creates the stress Gallup's data reveals.
4. How does this organization measure management effectiveness? If it's only through team deliverables and not development, expect burnout.
5. What happens if management doesn't suit me? Can you return to an individual contributor track without career penalty?

Many organizations now offer parallel career tracks allowing individual contributors to advance without managing. These roles typically involve:

• Deep technical or functional expertise
• Mentoring and knowledge sharing
• Strategic project leadership
• Cross-functional influence

These paths deserve equal compensation and respect. Don't accept management just because it seems like the only way forward.

The Gallup research is clear: coaching and development support dramatically improve both performance and wellbeing. But you don't need to wait until you're a manager—or until you're in crisis—to benefit.

Early-career coaching helps you:

• Navigate difficult manager relationships
• Make strategic career decisions
• Build essential skills proactively
• Develop your professional network
• Negotiate effectively
• Identify and pursue opportunities aligned with your values

Text-based coaching provides real-time guidance exactly when you need it, without waiting for scheduled sessions. It's support that fits your schedule and meets you in the moments that matter.

Understanding that manager disengagement is a widespread, data-backed phenomenon changes how you should approach your career:

It's not personal. Your manager's limitations likely reflect systemic pressure, not their opinion of you.

It's not permanent. Organizations will eventually recognize that investing in management development isn't optional—it's essential for survival.

It's navigable. With strategic communication, diversified mentorship, and proactive development, you can build a strong career even within imperfect systems.

It's a decision point. This data should inform whether you pursue management yourself and what kind of organization you choose to join.

The relationship between manager engagement and team engagement is one of the most well-established findings in organizational research. When managers struggle, everyone struggles. When they're supported, everyone benefits.

The question is: How will you navigate your career with this knowledge?

About the Research

This article draws from Gallup's 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report, which surveyed 227,347 employed respondents globally in 2024. The research represents one of the largest ongoing studies of employee experience worldwide.

Ready to Navigate Your Career Strategically?

If you're dealing with an overwhelmed manager or facing challenging career decisions, coaching support can help you develop the clarity and skills to thrive. Schedule a discovery call to explore how coaching can provide real-time guidance for your specific situation.