Managers - The Root of Employee Retention

Cathie Leimbach • June 28, 2022

Yes, it’s the manager who has the most impact on employee retention! 

Employees control only 30% of the factors that contribute to workplace engagement and retention. It’s the manager who controls the other 70%. Gallup’s book, It’s the Manager, introduces 52 insights into workplace realities that inform leadership practices which impact employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. This article provides a high level look at why leveraging manager effectiveness is the best way to increase productivity and the organization’s bottom line.

For nearly a century the American dream was to have law and order, food and shelter. Once these were satisfied, people wanted to have a family, own a home, and live in peace. Now, in America and globally, the highest priority dream is to have a good job.  According to Gallup’s research, the most important contributor to the ‘best life imaginable’ – especially for young people and women – is to have a great job with a living wage and a manager or team leader who encourages your development. 

Unfortunately, only 15% of the global workforce reports having a great job. The reality that 85% are either just going through the motions or they hate their job has a negative impact on health, quality of life, organizational results, and the economy.   

Imagine the impact of increasing employee engagement to 50% of the workforce! How different individuals’ lives and our communities would be! But how can that possibly be done?

In the past 30 years workplace study after study has identified the factors that impact employee engagement. The biggest impact is how managers lead their people. Remember, managers control 70% of the variance in team engagement. Effective leadership practices have been identified, but few managers know about them. And even fewer put them into practice. 

Are your team members crystal clear everyday about what you want them to achieve? How often do you praise them for the things they are doing well? How encouraging and supportive are you when they need to improve their workplace performance? How skilled are you in these aspects of leading people?

What can you do to engage your employees for everyone’s benefit? If you would like to become a more effective leader at work, email me, Cathie Leimbach, asking for further information about developing highly effective people leadership skills. When you lead your team members well, they will become enthusiastic high performers. Don’t you want to experience this in your workplace? What difference would it make to your life?

What Problems Disappear When Leadership Gets Stronger?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 14, 2026
Most workplace issues don’t start big. They build slowly—through missed conversations, unclear expectations, and more people leave. That’s where disengagement shows up. And when it does, the cost is real: 78% higher absenteeism 51% higher turnover 63% more safety incidents These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And across the U.S., the bigger picture is hard to ignore— disengaged employees cost organizations nearly $2 trillion annually in lost productivity (Gallup). These aren’t just HR problems. They’re leadership problems. When people don’t feel connected, clear, or supported: They call off more More people quit Mistakes and risks increase The good news? These patterns are preventable. Strong leaders reduce these issues by: Addressing problems early Creating clarity instead of assumptions Having consistent, direct conversations Reinforcing expectations before things drift It’s not about doing more. It’s about leading differently—every day. A question to consider: Which of these challenges is quietly costing your organization the most right now? 👉 Join our upcoming Leadership Conversation on April 27th, 3:00 PM—this is not a webinar . This is a candid conversation with leaders comparing their employee engagement challenges and successes. Most organizations are tolerating more of this than they realize. The question is—are you?

What Changes When People Actually Feel Engaged?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 7, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 27 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back?  If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.