Bad managers drive away talent

When you manage people, you don’t just oversee productivity — you hold careers, livelihoods and psychological well-being in your hands. The data doesn’t lie, and neither do the millions who’ve weighed in on what constitutes leadership worth following.

Fact: 69% of U.S. workers would rather clean toilets at a bus station than report to a bad boss. I made up the toilet part, but the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Survey doesn’t sugarcoat the truth — over two-thirds of employees have their resignation letter mentally drafted and ready to go when reporting to a manager who is terrible.

Let’s acknowledge what we’ve all experienced: Someone in your career trajectory either accelerated your growth or made you question your career choices. There is no middle ground.

The manager multiplier effect

When Gallup analyzed retention patterns over two years, they found something all of us could have predicted but still escapes too many corners of corporate America: Employees who receive high-quality recognition are 45% less likely to quit within two years.

Translation: Good managers are retention machines. Bad managers are talent repellent.

• To get it right, remember that recognition must be:
• Specific (not “good job” but “your analysis of the market segment revealed an opportunity we’d overlooked”)
• Timely (not during the annual review but immediate)
• Authentic (not corporate speak but human language)
• Individualized (tailored to what actually motivates each unique human)

The green flag goes viral

In November, a young professional named Simi posted her resignation video call that pulled in nearly 5 million views. Why? Because her manager responded with “Congratulations — I’m thrilled for your next chapter” instead of guilt, manipulation or passive-aggression.

The internet collectively lost its mind because managerial excellence has become increasingly rare. Being a human who genuinely cares about your team’s growth shouldn’t break the algorithm.

This manager understood something profound: Every interaction is a branding moment. In the talent marketplace, your reaction at departures is just as important as your celebration of arrivals.

The economics of empathy

When we measure managerial impact, we typically focus on spreadsheets, OKRs and deliverables. But the true ROI of management is hidden in what doesn’t happen: the resignation letter unwritten, the emotional labor saved, the recruitment costs avoided.
Great managers don’t just cultivate productivity — they create gravitational pull that keeps talent in orbit.

Ask yourself: What’s the cost of replacing a single high performer? 200% of their salary? 300%? Now multiply that by the 69% of your workforce that’s mentally refreshing their LinkedIn profile while nodding through your team meeting.

The noble profession

Management isn’t just a job — it’s a calling. You’re not just optimizing workflows; you’re shaping lives. The average American spends 90,000 hours at work during their lifetime. As a manager, you determine whether those hours feel purposeful or punishing.

The true measure of your success isn’t found in quarterly results but in the trajectory of careers you’ve influenced. Twenty years from now, no one will remember that PowerPoint deck you obsessed over, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel when they failed, succeeded, or needed support.

Management isn’t about being liked. It’s about creating environments where humans can do their best work while becoming their best selves.

The path forward

Want to transform your management approach and create a culture that talented people actually want to be part of? Join us for our upcoming webinar, “The Manager Effect: How Better Leaders Boost Retention & Results Using Employee Engagement Data.”

We’ll dive deep into how progressive organizations are using experience data to identify management blind spots, predict flight risks before they happen, and create a managerial corps that makes all employees thrive.
The webinar runs June 24, featuring the latest insights on how to slash turnover and boost engagement by reinventing your approach to management development. Sign up at tinyurl.com/ManagerEffect.

Because when your competitors are losing talent through the revolving door of mediocre management, your opportunity to create competitive advantage through leadership excellence has never been greater. Register now. Your team is counting on you.

Jaime Raul Zepeda is EVP, Principal Consultant for Best Companies Group and COLOR Magazine, part of BridgeTower Media.

Wondering whether your organization is on the right path to win? Talk to us at Best Companies Group so we
can analyze your organization’s health, your team dynamics, and your leadership’s effectiveness. We’ve
helped over 10,000 companies understand and improve their workplace using data-driven strategies. Send me
a note at [email protected].