In 2025, almost 85% of employees worldwide say they are not committed to their company, and 20% say they are totally disengaged. This alarming finding underlines a worrying reality: motivating, engaging and retaining teams has become a major strategic challenge for companies. But in the face of this challenge, where does the root of the problem really lie? While employee disengagement may grab the headlines, it often masks a deeper problem: managerial disengagement.
Understanding employee engagement: key definitions
- Employee commitment: strong, voluntary and enthusiastic involvement of employees in their tasks, their team and their company.
- Disengagement: defensive reaction to unhappiness at work, characterized by loss of motivation and active disinterest.
- Non-commitment: indifference, absence of attachment, not necessarily active rejection of the company.
According to theGallup Institute, in France, only 9% of employees are committed to their company, 65% don’t feel committed and 26% are totally disengaged! And this disengagement is constantly on the rise.
The major impact of employee disengagement on the company
Disengagement is expensive. According to a Gallup study, a disengaged employee can cost employers up to €12,600 a year. But the financial cost is only the tip of the iceberg.
Disengagement also affects :
- Employer brand image: a poor internal atmosphere damages the company’s reputation and attractiveness.
- Overall productivity: an engaged employee is 21% more productive.
- Creativity and innovation: engaged employees are 86% more creative.
- Sales performance: commitment and customer satisfaction are closely linked, with a direct impact on sales.
Why do employees disengage?
Several factors explain this growing disengagement:
- Loss of meaning at work: values and mission purpose called into question.
- Organizational rigidity: too many procedures to the detriment of human relations.
- Lack of recognition and listening.
- Lack of flexibility and responsibility.
- Poor relations with management.
And it’s precisely on this last point that the problem lies: 70% of variations in employee commitment can be explained by the quality of management.
Managerial disengagement: an underestimated but massive phenomenon
Contrary to popular belief, managers too are often disengaged. Over 70% of managers do not feel committed to their company. Paradoxically, even though they are primarily responsible for motivating their teams, they suffer from a feeling of ingratitude and intense pressure.
- 1 out of 3 managers is perceived as “bad” by his or her colleagues, but a majority admit that they don’t want to be in his or her shoes.
- More than 25% of managers did not receive appropriate managerial training before taking up their post.
Specific causes of managerial disengagement
Loss of sense of purpose
The traditional role of leading a team no longer accounts for more than 20% of a manager’s time, with more than 70% spent managing production and administrative tasks. This discrepancy deepens the sense of frustration.
Unwillingness to take on a new position
The assumption of managerial responsibility often corresponds to an enhanced career path. From technical expert, the employee becomes a manager in recognition of his or her merit. But leading people is a job in its own right….But more thana quarter of managers are not trained to become managers….So they find themselves developing their skills empirically!
Constant expansion of managerial responsibilities
Over the years, the role of the manager has evolved. From a controlling executive, he has become a leader at the service of performance. Coach, innovator, intrapreneur. Without additional resources or time, the manager must arbitrate, creating stress and confusion.
Conflicting priorities between departments
Managers have to reconcile sometimes conflicting demands: innovation without risk, autonomy with control, well-being and performance. This tug-of-war often leads to the abandonment of human leadership missions.
The impact of managerial disengagement on teams
Commitment is a domino effect: if a manager is disengaged, he can’t transmit motivation to his staff. The result is a downward spiral:
- Less listening and support.
- Few initiatives to resolve frustrations.
- Increased malaise and turnover.
Conversely, a committed manager acts as a powerful positive lever on the whole team.
To achieve lasting improvements in employee engagement, companies need to focus on managerial disengagement. Training managers, clarifying their roles, lightening their administrative tasks, enhancing their role and offering them real support are all essential levers.
To find out more: Managers’ commitment, a snowball effect on employees!
