New Global Research Finds Leaders Overestimate Engagement, Underestimate What Makes People Stay -- Putting Retention, Productivity, and Culture at Risk
ManpowerGroup's (NYSE: MAN) Right Management division has released new global research revealing significant disconnects between leadership perceptions and employee reality regarding workplace engagement. The study, surveying 1,029 leaders and 2,402 employees across multiple regions, found that while 53% of leaders believe their employees are fully engaged, only 37% of employees report full engagement.
The research highlights critical regional variations, with Latin America showing the largest perception gap and Europe and Asia-Pacific reporting the lowest engagement levels at 32% and 33% respectively. The study also reveals that traditional attraction factors like pay and perks don't drive long-term retention, which instead depends on purpose, growth, and cultural alignment.
ManpowerGroup's (NYSE: MAN) Right Management division ha pubblicato una nuova ricerca globale che evidenzia significative discrepanze tra la percezione della leadership e la realtà dei dipendenti riguardo all'engagement sul posto di lavoro. Lo studio, che ha intervistato 1.029 leader e 2.402 dipendenti in diverse regioni, ha rilevato che mentre 53% dei leader ritiene che i propri dipendenti siano pienamente coinvolti, solo il 37% dei dipendenti riferisce un coinvolgimento completo. La ricerca evidenzia variazioni regionali significative, con l’America Latina che mostra la maggiore discrepanza tra percezione e realtà, e l’Europa e l’Asia-Pacifica che riportano i livelli di coinvolgimento più bassi, rispettivamente al 32% e al 33%. Lo studio rivela inoltre che i tradizionali fattori di attrazione come salario e benefit non guidano la retention a lungo termine, che dipende invece da scopo, crescita e allineamento culturale.
La división Right Management de ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) ha publicado una nueva investigación global que revela importantes desconexiones entre las percepciones de los líderes y la realidad de los empleados respecto al compromiso en el lugar de trabajo. El estudio, que encuestó a 1,029 líderes y 2,402 empleados en varias regiones, encontró que mientras el 53% de los líderes creen que sus empleados están plenamente comprometidos, solo el 37% de los empleados reporta un compromiso total. La investigación destaca variaciones regionales críticas, siendo América Latina la que muestra la mayor brecha de percepción, y Europa y Asia-Pacífico reportando los niveles de compromiso más bajos en 32% y 33% respectivamente. El estudio también revela que factores tradicionales de atracción como el salario y los beneficios no impulsan la retención a largo plazo, que depende en cambio de propósito, crecimiento y alineación cultural.
ManpowerGroup의 NYSE: MAN Right Management 부문은 직장 내 참여에 관한 리더십 인식과 직원 현실 사이의 상당한 격차를 드러내는 새로운 글로벌 연구를 발표했습니다. 연구는 여러 지역에서 1,029명의 리더와 2,402명의 직원을 대상으로 했으며, 리더의 53%가 직원이 완전히 참여하고 있다고 믿는 반면, 직원 중 37%만이 완전 참여를 보고했습니다. 연구는 지역별 차이가 크며 라틴 아메리카가 가장 큰 인식 격차를 보이고 유럽과 아시아-태평양은 각각 32%와 33%의 낮은 참여 수준을 보고했습니다. 또한 전통적인 유인 요소인 급여와 혜택은 장기 유지로 이어지지 않으며, 대신 목적, 성장 및 문화적 정렬에 달려 있음을 시사합니다.
La division Right Management de ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) a publié une nouvelle recherche mondiale révélant d’importantes déconnexions entre les perceptions des cadres et la réalité des employés en matière d’engagement au travail. L’étude, interrogeant 1 029 dirigeants et 2 402 employés dans plusieurs régions, a révélé que alors que 53 % des dirigeants estiment que leurs employés sont pleinement engagés, seulement 37 % des employés déclarent un engagement total. La recherche met en évidence des variations régionales critiques, l’Amérique latine affichant la plus grande disparité entre perception et réalité, et l’Europe et l’Asie-Pacifique enregistrant les niveaux d’engagement les plus bas à 32 % et 33 % respectivement. Elle révèle aussi que les facteurs d’attraction traditionnels comme le salaire et les avantages ne favorisent pas la rétention à long terme, qui dépend plutôt du sens, de la croissance et de l’alignement culturel.
Die Right-Management-Sparte von ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) hat neue globale Forschungsergebnisse veröffentlicht, die signifikante Diskrepanzen zwischen Führungskräftewahrnehmung und Mitarbeiterrealität in Bezug auf Arbeitsengagement aufzeigen. Die Studie, die 1.029 Führungskräfte und 2.402 Mitarbeiter in mehreren Regionen befragte, ergab, dass 53% der Führungskräfte glauben, dass ihre Mitarbeiter vollständig engagiert sind, während nur 37% der Mitarbeiter von voll engagiert berichten. Die Forschung betont erhebliche regionale Unterschiede, wobei Lateinamerika die größte Wahrnehmungslücke zeigt und Europa sowie der Asia-Pacific-Raum die niedrigsten Engagement-Werte mit 32% und 33% berichten. Die Studie zeigt außerdem, dass traditionelle Anziehungspunkte wie Gehalt und Benefits keine langfristige Bindung fördern, sondern vielmehr Sinn, Wachstum und kulturelle Ausrichtung entscheidend sind.
قسم Right Management التابع لشركة ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) نشر بحثًا عالميًا جديدًا يكشف عن فجوات كبيرة بين تصورات القيادة وواقع الموظفين فيما يتعلق بالالتزام في مكان العمل. ودرس الاستطلاع 1,029 قائدًا و2,402 موظفًا عبر مناطق متعددة، ووجد أن 53% من القادة يعتقدون أن موظفيهم منخرطون بالكامل، بينما يسجل فقط 37% من الموظفين مشاركة كاملة. وتسلط الدراسة الضوء على فروقات إقليمية حادة، حيث تُظهر أميركا اللاتينية أكبر فجوة في التصور، وتُبلغ أوروبا وآسيا-المحيط الهادئ عن أدنى مستويات الالتزام عند 32% و33% على التوالي. كما تكشف الدراسة أن عوامل الجذب التقليدية مثل الأجور والمزايا لا تقود الاحتفاظ على المدى الطويل، بل تعتمد على الغاية والنمو والتوافق الثقافي.
ManpowerGroup 的 (NYSE: MAN) Right Management 部门发布了新的全球研究，揭示领导层认知与员工在工作参与度方面的现实之间存在显著脱节。该研究调查了跨多个地区的 1,029 名领导者和 2,402 名员工，发现尽管 53% 的领导者认为员工已经完全参与，只有 37% 的员工报告完全参与。研究强调区域差异极大，拉丁美洲出现最大的认知差距，欧洲和亚太地区的参与度最低，分别为 32% 和 33%。研究还显示，传统的吸引因素如薪酬和福利并不能推动长期保留，长期留任取决于目标、成长和文化一致性。
- Comprehensive global research scope covering multiple regions and large sample size
- Clear identification of engagement gaps provides opportunity for strategic improvements
- Research highlights actionable insights for improving retention strategies
- Significant leadership-employee engagement perception gap (53% vs 37%)
- Critical low engagement levels in Europe (32%) and Asia-Pacific (33%)
- Only 24% of leaders recognize cultural fit importance, showing major strategic blindspot
Based on proprietary research and surveys of 1,029 leaders and 2,402 employees across
- The Engagement Illusion: Leaders believe their teams are thriving. The data tells a different story.
- The Talent Paradox: What attracts talent — like pay, perks, and prestige — isn't what makes them stay.
Key Findings Include:
- Leaders grossly overestimate engagement: More than half (
53% ) of leaders globally believe their employees are fully engaged, with only29% acknowledging any disengagement. By contrast, just37% of employees report full engagement — and41% are actively disengaged. Latin America shows the sharpest disconnect:63% of leaders believe their teams are fully engaged while only41% of employees are fully engaged — a profound disconnect that threatens retention and loyalty.Europe andAsia-Pacific report critically low engagement: Only32% of European employees and33% inAsia-Pacific are fully engaged.- Leaders and employees are misaligned on what drives engagement: Employees consistently rank fit and career as top engagement drivers. Yet only
24% of leaders recognize cultural fit as important, and less than two out of 10 (19% ) cite career development — revealing a significant chasm. - Attraction ≠ Retention: While pay and perks may attract talent, they don't sustain engagement. Long-term retention is driven by deeper, intrinsic factors like purpose, growth, and cultural alignment.
"This research is a wake-up call for business leaders," said Caroline Pfeiffer Marinho, Global Business Leader at Talent Solutions Right Management. "Too many organizations are investing in attraction strategies while overlooking what truly drives people to stay. If leaders don't prioritize cultural fit, career development and purpose, they risk losing their top talent — and with it, their competitive edge."
Barbera de Graaf, Senior Vice President of Right Management for
This report marks the beginning of a broader conversation. A second installment in The State of Careers series will be released later this year, offering deeper insights and practical strategies for organizations seeking to future-proof their workforce.
To explore the full report, including strategies to bridge the engagement gap, visit: www.right.com/state-of-careers.
ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands—Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions—creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years. We are recognized consistently for our diversity—as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2025 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 16th time—all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent.
For more information, visit www.manpowergroup.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky.
ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP TALENT SOLUTIONS RIGHT MANAGEMENT
Talent Solutions combines our leading global offerings—RPO, TAPFIN-MSP and Right Management—to help organizations address their complex workforce needs. Talent Solutions leverages our deep industry expertise and understanding of what talent wants to provide end-to-end, data-driven capabilities across the talent lifecycle. From talent attraction and acquisition to upskilling, development and retention, we provide seamless delivery, leveraging best-in-class technology and extensive workforce insights across multiple countries at scale. Right Management, part of the ManpowerGroup® family of companies—including Manpower and Experis—is our global talent management offering for outplacement, career management and leader development solutions.
For more information, visit right.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
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SOURCE ManpowerGroup
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