Why Manager Burnout Is Skyrocketing —and What Real Leaders Can Actually Do About It

The Scope of the Crisis

Let’s get real: manager burnout in 2025 isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a business emergency. The numbers speak for themselves. Over half of leaders, 56%! experienced burnout in 2024. Nearly 43% of companies lost half or more of their leadership teams to turnover. Add to that the worldwide slump in employee engagement, which hit a low of 21%, and you’ve got a workplace crisis that can’t be ignored. And if you’re a manager reading this, you probably nodded along just now.

But this isn’t just about individual leaders feeling stressed. Manager engagement directly feeds team engagement, productivity, and business performance. When managers break down, so does the whole team. knowledge walks out the door, teams flounder, and organizations start to sink.

The Ripple Effect

Burned-out managers aren’t just less productive; they’re more likely to leave. One recent study showed a staggering 73% turnover rate in leadership teams across sales, marketing, and media. When managers exit, companies lose not just their skills, but relationships, institutional knowledge, and trust. Simply put: the hidden costs compound quickly.

Why Are Managers Burning Out Now?

With all this talk about manager burnout, you might be wondering: what’s really making things worse? Here’s what the latest data, brain science, and lived experiences reveal.

1. Roles Have Become Unrealistic

The “middle” is getting squeezed harder than ever. These days, managers are expected to be all things at once—motivator, task master, therapist, strategist—you name it. The shift to hybrid work and then return to the office, shrinking teams, and always-on expectations have left most managers doing three people’s jobs… with less support than ever.

Most managers tell us their roles are a maze: unclear priorities, shifting targets, and not enough hours in the day. Clarity is out the window, while pressure just keeps rising.

2. The Brain on Chronic Stress

Let’s zoom out: burnout isn’t just a bad mood, it’s a real, measurable, physical state. When brains are bathed in chronic stress (thanks to high demands and low support), stress hormones like cortisol stick around. This narrows focus, drains creativity, and wrecks emotional resilience. Managers can’t do their best work if they’re stuck in survival mode.

3. Major Gaps in Support

Many managers are promoted because they crushed it as individual contributors. But managing people? That’s a whole new ballgame. Without actual leadership training or a supportive peer network, managers wind up feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Almost half (45%) of managers say their organizations don’t do enough to help leaders grow.

4. The Gender and Age Imbalance

It’s important to call out that young managers, especially women, are shouldering a bigger share of this burden. From blurred work-life boundaries to higher expectations for emotional labor, these groups are hit the hardest by burnout and stress.

The Hidden Organizational Cost

High manager burnout isn’t just a personal tragedy it’s a business risk. Turnover, absenteeism, and disengaged teams all have real costs. If you’re seeing talent churn, low morale, or stalled projects, chances are manager burnout is part of the story.

But here’s the good news: leaders can do a LOT to turn things around.

What Real Leaders Can Actually Do (Starting This Quarter)

Burnout doesn’t fix itself and sending managers to a “wellness lunch-and-learn” isn’t enough. Here’s what organizations and C-suite leaders need to do (and yes, you can start today).

1. Invest in Leadership Development that Actually Matters

Skip the one-day seminars. Research shows that real growth comes from ongoing leadership development, not just checking boxes. When companies invest in robust manager training, thriving rates jump from 28% to at least 34% (and that number climbs with long-term support). This means real courses, targeted workshops, and most of all: coaching.

Looking to get started? Check out our Coaching Discovery Call to see how our approach addresses deep-rooted challenges, not just surface symptoms.

2. Redesign the Role—For Real

Let’s stop pretending managers can just “do it all.” Leaders need to honestly evaluate what’s on a manager’s plate and cut the clutter. Get crystal clear about priorities and what success looks like. It’s not about more; it’s about doing what matters, better.

Want to align your organization? Our training consultation sessions help map out clearer roles, so your managers know exactly where to focus.

3. Build Systems, Not Slogans

Managers need real support, not lip service. This means:

• Peer networks (think: manager roundtables)

• Ongoing, personalized coaching

• Clear pathways for escalating challenges

Don’t settle for “my door is always open.” Give managers time, space, and resources for honest conversations and practical help.

4. Cut Operational Friction

Nothing saps manager energy faster than needless busywork. Leaders, you can:

• Cancel meetings that don’t need to happen

• Streamline decision-making processes

• Clarify who needs to be involved, and when

Every hour you save managers from bureaucracy can be put back into meaningful leadership.

5. Make Purpose Visible

When managers know the “why” behind their teams’ work, it gives them an anchor. Find ways to regularly connect daily tasks to the bigger mission—even if that mission is simply “serving our customers meaningfully” or “making our product the best it can be.”

Show your team how their work matters. Meaning and belonging are two of the strongest antidotes to burnout.

6. Normalize Asking for Help

Last but not least: normalize vulnerability. When senior leaders admit when they’re overwhelmed or need help, it creates psychological safety for everyone. This isn’t weakness; it’s smart leadership that breeds trust and resilience.

Want a workplace where people don’t just survive, but actually thrive? Create an environment where support is the norm—not the exception.

The Bottom Line

Manager burnout is costing organizations more than most realize lost productivity, broken trust, and an endless leadership churn. But it isn’t inevitable. By making smart, sustained investments in leadership, rethinking role design, building meaningful support networks, and reconnecting people to purpose, companies can not only stop the exodus—they can actually turn the tide.

Ready to get ahead of the curve? Connect with us to explore how Latisha B. Russell LLC can help you build resilient, inspired leaders at every level.

Latisha B. Russell LLC provides Leadership Coaching, Wellness Coaching, and Professional Development services for individuals and organizations. Learn more about how we support real leaders at every stage at latishabrussell.com.