Manager Training Gaps Statistics

Discover the critical state of manager training gaps across organizations. From the fact that 58% of first-time managers receive no training to the $1.1 trillion annual cost of voluntary turnover, explore comprehensive data on training deficiencies, their impact on engagement and productivity, and effective solutions backed by research.

Published: 15 February 2026

With sources from

Key Takeaways

Comprehensive statistics on manager training gaps, impact, prevalence, and best practices for 2024

58% of first-time managers don't receive any management training
87% of managers wish they had received more training before becoming a manager
75% of employees who quit do so because of their manager, not their job
Only 26% of employees feel well-managed, down from 35% in 2020
Managers account for at least 70% of variance in employee engagement scores
Only 12% of managers strongly agree their organization has a strategy for developing leaders
Poor management contributes to 57% of employees feeling disengaged
U.S. businesses lose $1.1 trillion annually due to voluntary turnover
Communication is cited as the biggest skill gap for managers (63%)
Only 38% of organizations believe their leadership development programs are very effective
Global corporate leadership training market valued at $41.0 billion in 2022
Companies with strong leadership development are 11x more likely to deliver superior returns
Every dollar invested in leadership development yields an average ROI of $4.00
Only 33% of employees believe their manager helps them grow and develop
91% of HR leaders identify that organizations are lacking critical leadership skills

Consumer Behavior

Employee behavior patterns reveal a stark reality: manager incompetence is the silent killer of engagement and retention. When 95% of poorly-managed employees are actively job hunting and toxic culture ranks 10x more important than pay, it's clear that training gaps don't just hurt productivity—they hemorrhage talent and trust at unprecedented rates.

Only 26% of employees feel well-managed, down from 35% in 2020.
Managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores.
Poor management contributes to 57% of employees feeling disengaged.
Up to 75% of employees who quit their jobs do so because of their manager, not their job itself.
Companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors by 147% in EPS (earnings per share).
Organizations with ineffective managers experience 18% lower productivity compared to those with effective managers.
Toxic workplace culture, often a result of poor management, is the top reason employees leave, 10 times more important than pay.
95% of employees who feel they're managed poorly consider looking for a new job.
U.S. businesses lose an estimated $1.1 trillion annually due to voluntary turnover, much of which is manager-driven.
Only 1 in 10 people possess high talent for managing. Teams led by these high-talent managers show 22% higher productivity.
40% of employees would leave their current employer for a company with better training and development opportunities, a key part of good management.
Companies with effective managers experience 27% higher profit margins.
Lack of manager support was cited by 42% of employees as a reason for reduced productivity.
Employees whose managers communicate effectively are 2.5 times more likely to be highly engaged.
Burnout is 70% more likely when employees don't feel supported by their manager.
Only 33% of employees believe their manager helps them grow and develop.
Companies with strong leadership development programs are 11x more likely to deliver superior shareholder returns.
58% of employees say they trust strangers more than their own boss.
Managers who excel at coaching and motivating their teams improve team performance by up to 25%.
Lack of clear expectations from a manager is a significant contributor to employee stress (48%).

Corporate & B2B

The corporate landscape is experiencing a leadership crisis of epic proportions. With 87% of managers regretting their lack of preparation and 91% of HR leaders acknowledging critical skill deficiencies, organizations are essentially promoting individuals into failure. The command-and-control management style persists in half of all companies, a relic incompatible with modern workforce expectations and hybrid work realities.

Only 12% of managers strongly agree that their organization has a strategy for developing leaders.
87% of managers wish they had received more training before becoming a manager.
58% of first-time managers don't receive any management training.
Only 38% of organizations believe their current leadership development programs are very effective.
91% of HR leaders identify that their organizations are lacking critical leadership skills.
Communication is cited as the biggest skill gap for managers (63%).
Only 20% of managers feel very confident in their ability to lead hybrid or remote teams effectively.
Less than 10% of training budgets are allocated to leadership development at many organizations.
40% of L&D professionals report that 'lack of manager commitment' is a significant barrier to the success of learning programs.
Only 34% of employees believe their managers successfully motivate them.
50% of managers are still leading with an outdated 'command and control' style, incompatible with modern workforce needs.
Problem-solving (44%), decision-making (41%), and strategic thinking (39%) are identified as critical skill gaps for middle managers.
Only 30% of HR professionals rate their leadership development programs as 'good' or 'excellent' at preparing leaders for future challenges.
66% of organizations struggle with succession planning for key leadership roles, indicating a gap in developing future managers.
Less than half (48%) of U.S. companies have a formal process to assess and develop managers' skills.
Emotional intelligence is seen as a lacking skill in 75% of managers.
Only 29% of employees strongly agree that their current managers are actively developing their direct reports.
Over 70% of organizations don't provide sufficient training for managers on mental health support for their teams.
58% of organizations identify 'developing current managers to be better leaders' as a top leadership development challenge.
Only 25% of professionals believe their organization is effective at identifying and preparing high-potential employees for leadership roles.

Digital Strategy

The future of management demands a digital-first mindset that most managers simply don't possess. As AI fluency and data literacy become non-negotiable by 2025, and 65% of leadership roles require digital acumen, the training gap has evolved from soft skills to tech competence. Organizations betting on psychological safety and empathy training are wise—80% of leaders know empathy matters, but only 40% train for it, creating a dangerous disconnect in hybrid team leadership.

80% of leaders say empathy is critical for success, but only 40% believe their organizations adequately train for it.
Coaching and mentoring skills are rated as the most critical development need for managers by 70% of organizations.
90% of executives believe that emotional intelligence is critical for leadership success.
Agility and adaptability are deemed the most critical leadership skill for the future by 75% of respondents.
Data literacy and AI fluency are emerging as top 5 critical skills for managers by 2025, according to 60% of tech leaders.
Strategic thinking and planning are listed as a top-3 missing skill among managers by 68% of C-suite executives.
65% of leadership roles now require 'digital leadership' skills, including understanding and leveraging technology for team performance.
80% of organizations expect managers to lead diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams, but only 34% provide specific DEI leadership training.
Managers need to be 'connectors and facilitators' rather than 'controllers', a shift requested by 72% of employees in hybrid models.
Resilience and mental well-being support for teams is a newly essential skill for 55% of managers post-pandemic.
Collaboration and teamwork facilitation are identified as key development areas for 62% of mid-level managers.
Problem-solving skills are considered underdeveloped in 4 out of 10 managers.
Only 27% of managers feel fully equipped to provide effective feedback and performance reviews.
Managers' ability to create psychological safety is crucial, with 70% of employees reporting they feel more engaged in such environments.
Complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and people management are the top four skills listed by the World Economic Forum as most in-demand by 2025.
70% of US companies surveyed report a skills gap in leadership, particularly in soft skills.
Managers need to be proficient in continuous learning and skill acquisition, with 85% of jobs in 2030 requiring new skills.
54% of employees believe their manager doesn't understand their development needs.
Ethical leadership and integrity are increasingly important, cited by 60% of employees as critical attributes for managers.
Only 1 in 3 managers is comfortable with giving constructive feedback.

Market Size & Growth

The $41 billion leadership training market isn't just growing—it's exploding at 13.9% CAGR through 2030, revealing both opportunity and urgency. Yet despite companies spending $1,200-$1,500 per manager annually, only 36% track ROI effectively. The shift toward e-learning (projected to hit $58 billion) and personalized solutions signals that organizations are finally recognizing that generic training is throwing money at a problem without measuring impact.

The global corporate leadership training market size was valued at USD 41.0 billion in 2022.
The global corporate leadership training market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9% from 2023 to 2030.
Companies spend on average $1,200-$1,500 per manager annually on leadership development.
U.S. organizations spend approximately $92.3 billion on training annually, with a significant portion going to leadership development.
Internal expenditure accounts for 75% of leadership development spending, with the remaining 25% on external providers.
The e-learning component of the corporate leadership training market is projected to reach USD 58.11 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 15.1%.
Organizations with comprehensive training programs have 218% higher income per employee.
83% of organizations agree that leadership development is important at all levels, yet budget constraints often limit investment at lower management tiers.
The average amount spent per learner per year was $1,051 in 2022.
23% of companies cite 'insufficient budget' as the main barrier to delivering effective training.
Mid-sized businesses (100-999 employees) plan to increase L&D spending by 15% on average in 2023, often targeting management skills.
Demand for personalized and on-demand leadership training solutions is accelerating, with 60% of companies looking to invest more in these technologies.
The professional and corporate education market, including leadership training, is projected to exceed $400 billion by 2027.
Companies that invest significantly in leadership development are 2.4 times more likely to hit their performance targets.
Online leadership training courses saw a revenue growth of 18% in 2022.
Only 36% of organizations track the ROI of their leadership development programs effectively.
Microlearning for managers is gaining traction, with 75% of L&D professionals exploring or implementing it due to its cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
The average duration of leadership development programs is 3-6 months, with a shift towards continuous, shorter interventions.
70% of companies are increasing investment in digital tools for manager training in 2023.
Approximately 10-15% of the total HR budget is allocated to learning and development, where manager training is a significant component.

Marketing & Advertising

When it comes to training effectiveness and ROI, the numbers tell a story of unrealized potential. While every dollar in leadership development theoretically returns $4, only 33% of L&D leaders can actually measure business impact. The 70% skill retention rate from simulations versus 10-20% from lectures proves that engagement methodology matters—yet most programs still rely on outdated delivery. The real winners? Organizations using peer coaching (88% implementation success) and blended learning (73% effectiveness rating).

Companies with strong leadership development programs achieved 55% higher employee engagement.
Effective manager training can lead to a 20% increase in productivity for their direct reports.
Every dollar invested in leadership development yields an average ROI of $4.00.
Companies that implement comprehensive management training see a 24% boost in profit margins.
Organizations that invest in leadership development report 14% higher employee retention rates.
Only 45% of managers are satisfied with the quality of leadership training they receive.
Companies with a strong learning culture have 30% higher retention rates than those without.
Role-playing simulations in manager training show a 70% retention rate of skills learned, compared to 10-20% for lecture-based methods.
Managers who actively participate in ongoing development programs are 15% more likely to be promoted within two years.
Microlearning for managers can improve knowledge retention by up to 20% compared to traditional longer formats.
76% of employees want opportunities for learning and growth, indicating a high demand for effective managerial development that filters down.
35% of U.S. companies have no formal mechanism to assess the effectiveness of their leadership training programs.
Managers who receive feedback on their leadership style and subsequent training improve their effectiveness by up to 28%.
Only 33% of L&D leaders are confident in their ability to measure the business impact of their leadership development programs.
Peer coaching significantly boosts managers' application of new skills, with a reported 88% success rate in implementation post-training.
Companies with certified managers observed a 10% reduction in employee absenteeism.
Over 70% of change initiatives fail due to lack of leadership and managerial buy-in/skills, highlighting the impact of effective training.
Gamification in management training can increase participant engagement by 60%.
85% of Gen Z employees say that learning new skills from their manager is very important to them.
Only 28% of CEOs are 'very confident' that their current leaders are equipped to lead future growth, indicating a perceived gap in training effectiveness.

Industry Insights

The barriers to effective manager training are systemic and self-perpetuating: 51% lack time to learn, 49% can't align programs with business goals, and 67% struggle to measure anything beyond completion rates. The antidote? Organizations embracing blended learning (73% effectiveness), personalized paths (25% higher engagement), and coaching programs (70% endorsement) are seeing results. But the harsh reality remains—only 33% update curricula regularly, leaving two-thirds of companies training tomorrow's leaders with yesterday's playbook.

Lack of time (51%) is the biggest barrier for employees to learn new skills, which also applies to busy managers.
49% of L&D professionals cite 'lack of alignment with business goals' as a key challenge in their leadership development programs.
Senior leadership buy-in and support for manager training initiatives is often lacking, cited by 38% of L&D teams as a challenge.
Only 1 in 4 organizations uses data analytics to personalize and improve their leadership training programs.
Blended learning approaches (combining online and in-person) are considered most effective by 73% of L&D leaders for manager training.
Providing real-world projects and experiential learning opportunities increases the effectiveness of manager training by 30%.
Only 29% of managers regularly schedule time for their own professional development.
Coaching and mentoring programs are cited as the most effective development method for leaders by 70% of respondents.
Personalized learning paths for managers have seen a 25% increase in engagement and completion rates.
Measuring the impact of training beyond completion rates is a challenge for 67% of L&D departments.
Only 33% of organizations regularly review and update their manager development curricula to address evolving business needs.
Utilizing AI-powered learning platforms for manager training can reduce training costs by 15-20% while increasing accessibility.
Providing opportunities for managers to practice new skills in a safe environment is critical, with 80% of effective programs including this element.
Managers prefer learning that is highly relevant to their immediate job challenges (78%).
Lack of consistent follow-up and reinforcement post-training is a major reason for skills not being applied, cited by 62% of L&D leaders.
Only 30% of companies integrate performance management with leadership development programs for managers.
Organizations with robust mentor programs for new managers report a 50% higher retention rate for those managers.
The adoption of virtual reality (VR) for leadership simulations is expected to grow by 25% annually through 2027.
Providing internal mobility paths for high-potential individuals, supported by targeted manager training, is a key retention strategy for 75% of top-performing companies.
Customized, in-house manager training programs are 3 times more effective than generic, off-the-shelf solutions for addressing specific organizational gaps.