As companies face increasing turnover, rising workplace toxicity and a shrinking pipeline of future leaders, new research, developed by Express Employment Professionals in partnership with The Harris Poll, reveals a troubling disconnect between what supervisors need and what employers provide.
This growing leadership vacuum in American workplaces and the high cost of failing to support frontline supervisors is explored in “Strained, Stressed, and Stepping Away: The Supervisor Crisis and What Employers Must Do Now,” a white paper recently released by Express Employment Professionals.
Retirement, burnout or — in some cases — force reductions or corporate “flattening” is straining and pushing these critical and stressed supervisors to the door. Junior employees appear less than eager to climb the ranks or less than capable of filling these roles. It’s the beginning of a dangerous cycle: Strains on supervisors hurt workplace culture; a deteriorating workplace culture makes those jobs less attractive; and the result is a management vacuum that undermines company success.
Many hiring decision-makers in the United States are entirely unaware of a disconnect in how companies train — or fail to train — new supervisors. Companies often try to promote from within when it comes time to fill an open supervisor role. After all, institutional knowledge can be an asset for a leader. In doing so, companies naturally look to their hardest workers or best producers. But a common mistake is assuming what made these employees strong performers in their current roles will translate to strong performance in a supervisory role.
That’s not always the case.
Being a successful supervisor means confronting new challenges that entry- or lower-level employees do not face, most notably resolving interpersonal conflict. Too often, companies fail to train newly promoted supervisors, leaving them ill-equipped for the job.
Today’s companies can’t afford to overlook the crucial role of supervisors. Burnout is rising, interest in leadership roles is declining, and gaps in training are leaving supervisors, and their teams, vulnerable. Middle managers need clear expectations, practical skills, meaningful support — through effective training, a right-sized workforce and leadership that recognizes the realities they face every day.
Closing these gaps will not just improve supervisor retention; it will strengthen team performance, reduce turnover, and help stabilize workplace culture at a time when many companies are struggling to keep employees engaged.
“Supervisors are saying, ‘No more.’ Future leaders are saying, ‘No, thanks,’” says Bob Funk, Jr., CEO, president and chairman of Express Employment International. “The result? A vicious cycle that decreases effectiveness, breeds toxicity and weakens the workplace. The companies that come to terms with the situation and start implementing solutions will be the ones that succeed in this reshaped economy.”
Biggest Challenges Supervisors Face
| ReasonAccording to U.S. Hiring Decision-Makers / According to U.S. Supervisor Job Seekers | |
| Resolving conflicts | 40% / 39% |
| Providing constructive criticism | 38% / 35% |
| Finding the right balance between managing direct reports and being approachable | 37% / 34% |
| Managing workloads (theirs and direct reports) | 31% / 30% |
| Managing the emotional needs of direct reports | 28% / 29% |
Training Offered Related to the Issues and Skills That Hiring Managers Say Are Relevant to Supervisors
| According to U.S. Hiring Managers | |
| How to give constructive criticism | 35% |
| How to discuss issues/concerns about direct reports’ performance. | 30% |
| How to set professional boundaries with direct reports | 27% |
| According to job seekers who have been supervisors | |
| Training on workplace conflicts | 31% |
| Providing constructive criticism | 24% |
| No training on any of the issues surveyed | 17% |
The High Cost of Employee Turnover by Company Size
| 500 Employees 34% of the position’s annual salary |
| 100-499 Employees 17% of the position’s annual salary |
| 50-99 Employees 14% of the position’s annual salary |
| 10-49 Employees 3% of the position’s annual salary |
| 2-9 Employees 2% of the position’s annual salary |
Cultivating Workplace Friendships
Nearly all hiring decision-makers (97%) feel there are benefits to employees forming friendships in the workplace. They commonly say it improves employee and company productivity (67%).
Nine in 10 companies (87%) say they use methods to encourage or help employees form friendships. These include lunch events (46%), mentorship programs (32%) and group volunteer days (28%).
Source: Expresspros
Methodology
Survey of Hiring Decision-Makers: Research was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals among 1,001 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). The survey was conducted Nov. 11–26, 2024. Data are weighted where necessary by company size to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.
Survey of Job Seekers: The research was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Nov. 21 to Dec. 10, 2024, among 1,039 adults ages 18 and older who are employed but looking for a new job or not employed and looking for work (“job seekers”). Data are weighted where necessary by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, and official language to bring them win line with their actual proportions in the population.
Did You Know: Eighty-six percent of hiring managers believe supervisors have the tools they need, but only a third offer training on critical skills like conflict resolution or giving feedback; 72% of hiring managers admit their companies should be doing more to support supervisors.
