Managers are the Secret Behind Employee Engagement

Cathie Leimbach • September 14, 2021

The term employee engagement relates to the level of an employee's commitment and connection to an organization. Employee engagement has emerged as a critical driver of business success in today's competitive marketplace. High levels of engagement promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty, and improve organizational performance and stakeholder value.

 

So, how serious is the employee engagement issue? While leaders may be aware that "engagement" is necessary, the data provides an even stronger case. Recent research shows that 70% of American workers are disengaged – meaning they are emotionally disengaged from their managers and their company – showing up for the paycheck and little else. Of that 70%, 18% are actively disengaged and working against the company.

 

Let's look at a team of 11 people. Using these numbers, three team members are actively engaged, six are disengaged – simply showing up, and two are actively disengaged – working against the company's goals. Your team of 11 employees is creating lower productivity, decreased profitability, and lowered customer satisfaction.

 

We can understand the differences between engaged and disengaged employees by looking at their characteristics:

Engaged Behaviors

  • Optimistic
  • Team-oriented
  • Goes above and beyond
  • Solution-oriented
  • Selfless
  • Shows a passion for learning
  • Passes along credit but accepts blame


Disengaged Behaviors

  •  Pessimistic
  •  Self-centered
  •  High absenteeism
  •  Negative attitude
  •  Egocentric
  •  Focuses on monetary worth
  •  Accepts credit but passes along blame

   

Think about your employees and the teams you have created. How many of your team members are exhibiting disengaged behaviors? And then imagine what would happen in terms of productivity and profitability if you could turn that around. 

 

So, what is the solution? Research shows that disengagement occurs when management practices and organizational culture don’t empower and develop employees. And even more importantly, it is your managers behavior that builds organizational culture.

 

Managers are the secret behind increased engagement. When managers are taught and empowered to move from just managing the work to coaching and developing their employees, engagement increases significantly. 

 

Investing time and resources to train your managers to be more effective will result in a more robust organizational culture and increased engagement. Equipping them with the tools to focus on coaching and developing their employees will result in a more engaged workforce, leading to higher productivity and profitability.

 

Managers are your most important asset in increasing engagement. Here are some of the benefits overall when your managers play a critical role in coaching and developing their teams:

  • If a company increases employee engagement by 10%, research shows that results in $2,400 in annual profit per employee. Now imagine you can improve it by 20%, 30%, or more.
  • Increased employee engagement and a strong relationship with their manager helps you to retain the employees you need and want in your company.  And in today’s job market, that is even more critical.
  • Increased productivity occurs when employees are engaged – with some impressive statistics:

- 57% more effort

- 41% fewer errors

- 37% decreased absenteeism

- 41% fewer accidents.

 

Employees don't leave companies; they leave their managers. Providing training to help your managers develop the skills they need to coach and develop their employees effectively will significantly benefit your company.

Put Your Brain in Gear When Using AI

By Cathie Leimbach • June 16, 2026
Artificial Intelligence is becoming a powerful workplace tool. It can summarize information, analyze data, draft content, and generate ideas in seconds. But there is a growing risk leaders need to recognize: AI can sound convincing even when it is wrong. In an article by Erica Dhawan, she describes a legal case where attorneys used ChatGPT to help prepare a court filing. The brief looked professional, the reasoning seemed logical, and the citations appeared legitimate. There was only one problem: several of the cited cases did not exist. The AI had fabricated them. The danger wasn't carelessness. It was trust. Because the information was presented clearly, confidently, and professionally, nobody stopped to question it. Psychologists call this the "fluency heuristic"—our tendency to assume information is accurate when it is easy to process and sounds credible. As leaders, we cannot allow polished answers to replace critical thinking. When you find yourself thinking, "This is too good to be true," put your brain in gear. Dig deeper. Investigate. Verify the facts. Ask what assumptions were made, what information might be missing, and what evidence supports the conclusion. AI can be an incredible assistant. It should never become a substitute for judgment. The smooth answer is not always the wrong one—but it is often the one that deserves the most scrutiny. Before You Act, Verify. The biggest risk with AI isn't bad information. It's believable information that's wrong. That's why we created the AI Verification Checklist for Leaders —a simple 5-minute tool designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, identify missing information, verify conclusions, and make better decisions before acting on AI-generated recommendations. Download the free AI Verification Checklist for Leaders and start asking better questions before making important decisions.

If Employees Aren't Growing, Performance Isn't Either

By Cathie Leimbach • June 9, 2026
Most leaders want better performance. They want employees who take ownership, solve problems, adapt to change, and consistently deliver results. Yet Gallup reports that only 31% of employees are engaged at work. That means nearly 7 out of 10 employees are not fully applying their talents, effort, and initiative to their roles. The question leaders should be asking isn't simply: "Why aren't employees performing?" It's: "Are we developing people to perform at their best?" Gallup's latest research suggests many organizations may be falling behind. Nearly 6 in 10 CHROs say employee development is one of the areas where their organization struggles most. At the same time, fewer than half of U.S. employees have participated in training or education to build new skills for their current job. That gap creates risk. As AI, technology, customer expectations, and job responsibilities continue to evolve, employees cannot meet changing expectations with outdated skills. The impact is especially significant among high performers. Gallup found that organizations providing fewer development opportunities are more likely to lose their best people. The good news is that development doesn't require expensive programs or lengthy workshops. It starts with leaders who consistently: • Connect strengths to daily work • Clarify expectations • Provide meaningful feedback • Coach performance • Hold growth-focused conversations  One of the most effective ways leaders can support employee development is through regular 1-on-1 meetings with each direct report. These conversations create opportunities to coach, remove obstacles, align priorities, and discuss growth before problems become bigger issues. For practical ideas, read our resource: 5 Factors in Successful 1-on-1s . Organizations that thrive won't simply expect more from employees. They'll develop people so they can contribute more. Because when employees grow, performance grows with them.