Managers Matter
Quality Management and Leadership Provides Quality Outcomes
The recently released UK based CIPD Good Work Index 2026 provides incredibly compelling evidence of the strong relationship that exists between organisational performance and the quality of your managers and leaders. Take a look:
Among employees who rated their line manager in the lowest quartile, only:
• 38% were satisfied with their job
• 21% would recommend their employer
• 33% were willing to work harder than required
• 46% regularly made innovative suggestions
• 45% were unlikely to leave
However, for employees who rated their manager in the highest quartile, those figures increased to:
• 89% job satisfaction
• 81% employer advocacy
• 65% discretionary effort
• 75% innovation
• 73% likelihood of staying
Those numbers are quite compelling, but still something like 85% of new managers receive relatively little support or training (Gartner).
The CIPD report also identifies elements such as skills development and meaningful work as the factors with the greatest influence across all five business outcomes examined. Go figure !!
The message is clear: Managers shape workload, wellbeing, flexibility, development, employee voice and the quality of everyday workplace relationships. Senior leaders provide the vision, confidence and trust that connect people to the organisation and its purpose.
Together, they create the conditions in which people either give their best, or alternatively begin to withdraw.
If organisations want stronger performance, greater innovation and improved retention, investing in management and leadership capability cannot be viewed as discretionary expenditure. It is an investment in job quality and job quality is an investment in organisational success.
#Leadership #Management #JobQuality #EmployeeExperience #PeopleDevelopment #OrganisationalPerformance #PeopleAnalytics
