How to stop managers from wanting to leave

New research reveals the worrying number of managers in workplaces across the spectrum actively seeking new employment, and why, in the post-pandemic environment.

Speaking recently on The HR Leader Podcast, Graeme Cowan outlined the headline findings from a five-year research study carried out by Gallup, surveying more than 40,000 US-based employees, about how the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have changed the nature of, and how we think about, the workplace.

The research, he said, uncovered “universal patterns that are emerging around the world”.

One of the key trends identified by the research is that more and more managers seek to leave their current employers.

This is a concerning development, Cowan explained, because managers are the biggest predictor or they predict 70 per cent of the wellbeing and engagement of their teams.

“So, if they’re not in great shape – and they’re not – and they’re looking to move – and they are – [the research shows] that 55 per cent of managers are actively seeking a new role, versus 45 per cent in 2019,” he said.

“So, people aren’t seeing managerial roles as the attractive thing that they once were.”

Instead, Cowan continued, “they’re seeing a little bit of income increase, but they’re also seeing that there’s retrenchments going on, and often the managers have to carry the burden of those retrenchments”.

Across the market, he said, it is a real worry that managers “aren’t in great place”.

“I think it really is a very important lesson for chief people officers, and also the leadership team, about why managers are looking at out and what can be done to assist their mood, to assist their engagement because, if they leave, it obviously causes a big disruption to the team and the individuals in that team,” he said.

When asked how company directors and HR teams can better work with their managers to ensure those professionals aren’t in line for layoffs and also feel more motivated, Cowan said that the C-suite “really has to listen” and actively seek out what’s happening for managers.

“[They have to] really consider that if they cut out layers of middle management, what that means to those that are remaining and look at some ways to reward them, encourage them, and to look at how they might be able to challenge the status quo,” he said.

“We can’t keep doing things the same way.

“And so, ask [the] manager what would help them most in this situation? What do they need? Is there training or time that they need, are there coaches they need to help navigate this difficult period?”

All those things, he said, can help a manager who’s really struggling.

Kace O'Neill

Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.