Engagement and Retention
Leaders Make All the Difference
When people are engaged at work, they can achieve more. They're more productive. More innovative. More collaborative. And they're less likely to leave.
But improving engagement and retention depends on one big variable: your leaders. While leaders aren’t the only factor, Gallup data shows the quality of an employee’s manager accounts for a full 70% variance in employee engagement. No one has more impact on an employee’s engagement than their direct leader.
We can help you develop leaders who engage their teams’ heads and hearts, enabling people to perform their best and achieve better business results.
BY THE NUMBERS
Engagement and Retention Depends on Managers
Research shows that the behavior of direct managers has the biggest impact on whether employees decide to stay and how engaged they are in their roles.
57
Have quit bad bosses
57% of employees say they quit one or more jobs because of bad bosses.
DDI Frontline Leader Project
68
of employees are disengaged
Disengagement continues to rise, affecting 68% of all employees.
Gallup Employee Engagement Survey, 2023
12
Improved Retention
Employee retention improved by 12% due to more effective leadership.
The Total Economic Impact™ of a DDI Subscription, August 2024
70
of engagement depends on managers
A manager determines 70% of the variance in team engagement.
Gallup State of the Global Workplace
90
of direct reports plan to stay
90% of direct reports whose leaders experienced DDI leadership development do not intend to leave in the next 12 months
DDI Impact Evaluation Data 2023
DELIVER IMPACT
Engage Employees for Better Retention
Engagement shows us how emotionally and intellectually connected employees are to their organization. Engaged employees believe in what they do and feel valued for doing it. As a result, they have a passion for getting superior results. Leaders play a clear role in driving high engagement:
- Meaningful work: Leaders help their team members see that what they do matters and contributes to a larger goal.
- Individual value: Leaders help employees feel appreciated and grow.
- Positive environment: Leaders enable people to do their best.
When employees are deeply engaged, they are also more likely to stay. Our research found that 90% of direct reports with leaders who have experienced DDI development plan to stay for the next year.
5 Key Skills Help Leaders Engage and Retain Teams
Here are some everyday behaviors leaders need to build engaged teams:
- Empathy: Employees need to feel heard, understood, and connected to their leaders, which helps prevent burnout.
- Communication: Employees need intentional communication that’s clear and frequent, no matter their work arrangement.
- Coaching for Growth: Employees feel they are growing, learning, and advancing.
- Delegation: Employees can take ownership of work that’s appropriate for their skills and stretch to advance skills.
- Fostering Inclusion: Employees trust their leaders and feel psychologically safe to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to their work.
Leaders with these skills and behaviors have more engaged teams. According to DDI Impact data, 88% of direct reports with frontline managers who experienced DDI development say they are engaged in their role.
Driving engagement is at the heart of every leader’s role. Watch the video and download our sample program to discover how a learning journey can prepare leaders to engage and retain their teams.
Since the training, I’ve been much more engaged with my team. I also have a better understanding of what motivates my team members and what’s important to them. By identifying the motivations of each individual, I have developed a more engaged and enthusiastic team.
DDI Leadership Program Participant
Create Your Engagement and Retention Strategy
Engaging your workforce is a job that’s never done, and it requires a commitment from leaders every single day.
We make it easy to help leaders engage their teams now and when times get tough. DDI’s leadership development subscriptions are designed to grow with your leaders and support them through change.
