A recent Perceptyx survey of more than 1,500 managers and 4,300 employees in the U.S. and Europe shows that 58 percent of managers are considering leaving their leadership roles because of increased pressure from executive leadership to crack down on employee performance and adopt a more demanding management approach.
Sixty-four percent of managers have felt pushed by higher-ups to be tougher in the past year, causing many to report increased job difficulty, higher stress that reduces productivity, and greater interest in seeking alternative positions.
Nearly 70 percent of current managers would give up their supervisory responsibilities if possible.
Employees report feeling the impact as well, with 40 percent stating their managers have become more demanding; 56 percent saying they are asked to take on greater challenges without extra support; and 40 percent threatened with replacement if performance lags.
The unpopular managerial tactic of requiring weekly progress reports leads to greater unproductive time among staff. Those required to make weekly progress reports were found to be 1.4 times more likely to be unproductive compared to those who have more flexible managers.
Source: https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/managers-ready-to-quit-perceptyx-survey/
Commentary
In the above survey, it states that managers may threaten employees with replacement. Threatening employees with replacement if their performance lags is not an effective strategy for managing productivity and often produces the opposite of the desired effect, including turnover.
When managers resort to threats, it generates a climate of fear and anxiety that erodes trust, diminishes morale, and leads to disengagement.
Employees who feel under constant threat are less likely to take initiative, collaborate, or communicate openly about challenges, fearing that any sign of weakness could put their job at risk. Instead of motivating staff to reach higher targets, threats cause them to operate defensively or even look for opportunities elsewhere, increasing turnover rates and the associated costs of hiring and training replacements.
The final takeaway is that sustainable productivity is built mutual respect, and clear, supportive expectations - not on intimidation or job insecurity.
