Survey findings published on 27 May by workplace accreditation organisation Investors in People, highlighted that 40% of employees see management as necessary but unappealing.
More than one in 10 (12%) respondents indicated that they believe management roles are undesirable and overwhelming, and actively avoid leadership responsibilities.
Reasons for employees not wanting to become managers include management involving too much stress (54%), not enjoying managing people (42%) and not feeling the pay is enough to justify the role (30%).
Employers should be worried if their employees are avoiding management roles due to the perceived stress associated with these roles, explained Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People.
He told HR magazine: "There are two root causes at play here, which require two things: an improvement of the pathway onto management, and an improvement of the management roles themselves. If employees are reluctant because they see management as too stressful, then employers should be worried.
“Managers play such an important role in making work better for those they manage. But we can’t neglect making work better for them too. That means finding ways to make the job less stressful, and providing alternative, clearer, stronger career paths. Supportive management is a key driver of job satisfaction for employees. But leaders and HR teams need to create conditions that enable managers to deliver this kind of management.”
Read more: Is HR forcing people into management?
HR leaders must reimagine what leadership and management mean, added Carole Gaskell, founder of leadership consultancy Full Potential Group.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “HR leaders must redefine leadership as an opportunity to create positive impact, enable others’ growth, and lead with purpose, not just manage tasks or exert control. People are more likely to step into roles they find meaningful.
“Many employees avoid management because they lack the skills to have difficult conversations, hold others to account or clarify expectations. Equip them with the psychological safety, mindset tools and practice needed to lead effectively.
"Leadership must be seen not as an extra burden, but as an integrated part of their role. This requires vertical leadership development, in mindset, self-awareness and capacity, as well as horizontal skills development, such as delegation, coaching and influencing.
"Not everyone wants to manage people. Offer dual career tracks, such as technical, project leadership or thought leadership paths, so ambition isn't limited to people management.”
Researchers commissioned by Investors in People also found that half (52%) of business leaders believe that enhanced reward and recognition would make management roles more attractive to employees.
When asked what would make management roles more attractive, almost a third (30%) of employees cited stronger mental health and wellbeing support for managers.
Read more: A third of leaders have difficulty creating a senior management team
For Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, one reason that employees shy away from management roles is because of a lack of confidence.
She told HR magazine: “When you think about it, it’s not surprising that so many people are reluctant to put themselves forward for management roles. They have not been given the tools that set them up for success. Training your managers will instil that confidence, and that includes ensuring they have the time and space in their day to dedicate to manage their teams, and are given stretching opportunities to test those newfound skills. A junior taking responsibility for work experience placements is a good starting point.
“The most important relationship that most of us have at work is with our line manager. Getting that stage in a career right is critical to both individual and organisational success. HR leaders in particular need to make sure their executive team is championing professional development, and that training budgets are not the first thing to be cut in challenging economic times.”
Investors in People’s research findings don’t necessarily mean that there's a talent attraction crisis, according to Amit Rawal, a lecturer in management at Bayes Business School, but it could point to a shift in what employees aspire to achieve at work.
Rawal told HR magazine: “Many employees, including Gen Z individuals who are coming into workplaces, want to offer value without directly leading others. HR leaders can make management roles more attractive by repackaging them as opportunities for growth, and offering genuine influence with management support, as opposed to positions that will involve additional admin, stress and unmanageable workloads. This also means ensuring that the management opportunities are a genuine way to grow in one’s career and give something back.”
Investors in People commissioned YouGov to survey 519 B2B decision-makers and 2,031 UK employees between February and March 2025.
