The Global Employee Engagement Crisis: Why Managers Hold the Key
In 2024, the global workplace faced a sobering reality: employee engagement dropped from 23% to 21%, costing the world economy an estimated $438 billion in lost productivity, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 Report. The primary culprit? Managers. Manager engagement fell sharply from 30% to 27%, while individual contributor engagement remained stagnant at 18%. This decline is not just a statistic—it’s a warning signal for organizations worldwide. As Gallup notes, “If managers are disengaged, their teams are, too,” with the correlation so strong it appears in country-level data: nations with less engaged managers consistently have less engaged teams. This ripple effect threatens productivity, innovation, and even global GDP growth.
“Managers are the linchpin of workplace engagement, with 70% of team engagement directly attributable to them.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Managers are the linchpin of workplace engagement, with 70% of team engagement directly attributable to them. Yet, they face unprecedented challenges: navigating post-pandemic turnover, restructuring teams, adapting to AI-driven transformations, and balancing new employee expectations for flexibility with executive demands. As one manager from Saudi Arabia shared, “Difficult decisions put pressure on me psychologically, such as hiring. And sometimes there aren’t many resources.” Another in South Africa described being understaffed: “We should have a team of six people. There’s only two of us.” These pressures are driving disengagement, with young managers (under 35) and female managers seeing particularly steep drops of 5 and 7 percentage points, respectively.
The consequences are clear. Disengaged managers lead to disengaged teams, resulting in lower productivity, weaker customer relationships, and higher absenteeism. Employees feel the impact, too, with voices like Elke from Germany citing poor management as a reason for considering leaving: “[My supervisor] was by far the deciding factor that made me think about whether I really wanted to continue with this.” Meanwhile, global life evaluations also dipped, with only 33% of employees thriving, and managers—particularly older and female managers—reporting significant declines in wellbeing.
But there’s hope. Gallup’s data reveals a path forward through targeted manager training and development. Organizations that invest in their managers can unlock a potential $9.6 trillion productivity boom—equivalent to 9% of global GDP. The solution lies in equipping managers with the skills to inspire, coach, and thrive in their roles. This is where The ReWild Group’s Exceptional Manager Program (EMP) steps in as a game-changer.
The Exceptional Manager Program: A Proven Solution
The ReWild Group’s EMP is designed to address the root causes of manager disengagement and empower leaders to drive team success. Gallup’s findings align perfectly with EMP’s approach, emphasizing three critical actions for leaders:
Provide Basic Role Training: Gallup reports that only 44% of managers receive any management training, and those without it are twice as likely to be actively disengaged. EMP tackles this by offering structured, practical training that clarifies role expectations and equips managers with the tools to handle complex challenges like resource constraints and team conflicts.
Teach Effective Coaching Techniques: Gallup’s research shows that managers trained in best practices see up to 22% higher engagement themselves and boost their teams’ engagement by up to 18%. EMP’s curriculum focuses on coaching skills that foster trust, motivation, and growth, turning managers into inspiring leaders who, as one employee described, “want to see me shine.”
Support Ongoing Development for Wellbeing: When managers receive training and ongoing development, their thriving levels jump from 28% to 50%. EMP goes beyond one-off training, providing continuous support to help managers navigate stress, build resilience, and maintain a sense of purpose—key to sustaining their own wellbeing and that of their teams.
The EMP’s evidence-based approach mirrors the science-backed practices Gallup highlights in top-performing organizations, where engagement reaches 70% and drives higher profitability across industries. By fostering a culture of recognition, clear communication, and development—core elements of Gallup’s Q12 engagement framework—EMP helps managers create workplaces where employees feel valued and connected to their organization’s mission.
A Call to Action
The global workplace is at a crossroads. With manager engagement declining and AI reshaping the future of work, organizations cannot afford to ignore the critical role managers play. As Gallup’s CEO Jon Clifton warns, “Manager engagement is the key to reversing declining productivity, improving employee wellbeing, and unlocking trillions in economic potential.” The ReWild Group’s Exceptional Manager Program offers a proven, actionable solution to this crisis, empowering managers to lead with confidence and inspire their teams to thrive.
Don’t let disengagement derail your organization’s success. Invest in your managers today with The ReWild Group’s Exceptional Manager Program. Visit https://www.rewildgroup.com/emp to learn how EMP can transform your workplace and unlock your team’s full potential.