You can feel it in the workplace air.
Stress is high. Change is constant. Engagement is… flatlining.
Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report lands with sobering news: global employee engagement dropped by 2 points—the same drop seen during COVID lockdowns. Worse, manager engagement is collapsing. And if managers fall, so do the teams they lead.
Here are the 3 insights every leader should know—and what to do next.
Insight #1: When Managers Disengage, Teams Follow
The data is clear: manager engagement drives 70% of team engagement. This year, global manager engagement dropped from 30% to 27%, with even steeper drops among young and female leaders.
If you’ve been sensing low morale, lack of initiative, or turnover bubbling below the surface—this is why.
Leadership ripple effect: When managers lose steam, their teams don’t just slow down—they stall out.
The Hidden Crisis for Women in Leadership
Women managers were hit hardest in 2025.
Gallup’s latest report revealed:
- 7-point drop in engagement among women managers
- Sharper declines in both wellbeing and productivity compared to male peers
- Many are managing both teams and personal demands—without the training or support they need
Why it matters:
Organizations that rely on female leaders — and many do — are at risk of silent attrition, quiet quitting, or outright burnout.
This isn’t just a gender issue.
It’s a business continuity issue.
Want to retain and elevate your female leaders?
Start with clarity. Support with training. Sustain with rhythm.
Insight #2: Declining Engagement = Declining Wellbeing
“Thriving” life ratings dropped to 33% globally—and once again, managers saw the sharpest declines. For engaged employees, 50% report thriving lives. For disengaged employees? Just one-third.
What does this mean?
Your team’s emotional health is linked to your organizational health.
Culture isn’t about vibes. It’s a productivity strategy.
Insight #3: Most Managers Have Never Been Trained
Here’s the simplest takeaway Gallup offers, and the most actionable:
Only 44% of global managers have received management training.
Managers who do get trained see:
- 20–28% performance increases
- 50% higher life satisfaction
- 22% boost in team engagement
Want to grow your business? Train your managers.
Gallup Estimates:
“Fully engaged teams would add $9.6 trillion in productivity worldwide.”
The Path Forward
Start investing in your people. But not randomly. Begin with clarity, diagnose what’s really happening, and guide leaders toward intentional growth.
If you’re a manager or executive navigating disengagement, burnout, or unclear culture, you’re not alone.
Better leadership doesn’t start with the team.
It starts with you.
This is an annual update to our takeaways from the Gallup Global Workplace Report. Read our 2024 update: the insights still apply!
