The American Management Association (AMA) has released its latest research, The Manager-Employee Disconnect on Engagement and Effectiveness, revealing a striking gap between how managers perceive their performance and how employees experience it. Surveying over 1,300 professionals worldwide, the report highlights a mismatch in engagement, priorities, and managerial effectiveness.
“Managers believe they’re stepping up, but employees don’t always see it,” said Manny Avramidis, President & CEO of AMA. “Closing this perception gap requires sharper communication, stronger coaching, and more intentional collaboration.”
Key Findings
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Engagement gap: While 59% of managers report increased engagement over the past year, 80% of employees say their managers’ engagement has plateaued or declined.
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Urgent new responsibilities: Both groups identify managing expanded workloads, navigating organizational change, and cross-functional collaboration as the top challenges.
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Different priorities: Managers prioritize achieving departmental goals, whereas employees place the highest value on communication.
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Generational shifts: Gen Z employees (18–28) rank collaboration significantly higher than older generations, signaling that more cooperative and flatter organizational structures will be critical.
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Perceived support gap: While 83% of managers feel leadership provides what they need to succeed, only 60% of non-managers agree.
Why It Matters
The findings underscore a fundamental challenge for organizations: even engaged managers may be misaligned with the teams they lead. This misalignment can impact productivity, retention, and overall organizational effectiveness.
The report offers actionable strategies to bridge this divide, emphasizing enhanced communication, coaching, and collaboration skills. Strengthening these capabilities helps managers navigate heavier workloads, make better decisions, and foster a collaborative culture that resonates across generations.
“Organizations can’t afford to overlook this gap,” Avramidis added. “As expectations for managers intensify, the ability to connect with employees and foster a collaborative culture will define success.”
For HR leaders, this research serves as a clear call to invest in managerial skill development, ensuring that engagement efforts translate into real-world impact for employees.
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