Feeling the Pressure to Crack Down, Perceptyx Research Finds 58% of Managers Ready to Ditch People Leadership Roles

TEMECULA, Calif., June 25, 2025 — Employees feel their bosses have become more demanding — and the crunch is taking its toll on both groups, according to new data from Perceptyx, the global leader in employee listening and actioning for a better workplace. 

Researchers at Perceptyx’s Center for Workforce Transformation surveyed more than 1,500 managers and 4,300 employees in the U.S. and Europe to quantify the trend towards tougher leadership tactics and their impact.

Sixty-four percent of managers report feeling pressured from above to take a harder stance on performance this year — and these managers are even more likely to want out. They are twice as likely to say their job is more challenging than it was last year, 1.8x as likely to say workplace stress makes it hard to be productive, and 1.6x as likely to be seeking a new role. And about 7 in 10 say they’d give up managing people altogether if they could. 

Employees feel the pressure, too. Forty percent of workers agree that their managers adopted a more demanding leadership style in the past year, compared to 26% who disagree. More specifically, 56% of workers agree that their manager expects them to step up to new challenges without any extra support (vs. 16% who disagree), and 40% have been told underachievers will be replaced (vs. 34% who have not).

One demanding behavior in particular doesn’t go over well with employees: submitting progress reports. Nearly 3 in 4 employees whose managers expect weekly summaries say work stress has made it difficult to be productive at least one day last week, about 1.4x the rate of those with more trusting managers. 

But tough managers are not necessarily perceived as bad managers. Even the best managers, according to employee ratings, are asking more from their teams. However, Perceptyx’s research indicates that how they ask matters. “Strongman” tactics can drive employees to look for other opportunities, while managers who challenge with care, clarity, and a commitment to their people engender respect and loyalty. 

Even when their managers aggressively drive performance, employees with excellent bosses:

• Are nearly 4x as likely to believe their manager isn’t tough just for the sake of appearances, but rather because they authentically care about employee success
• Are 2.4x as likely to strongly disagree that their boss “rules with an iron fist” and 2.5x as likely to strongly disagree that their organization views softer approaches as weak
• Are still 2.7x as likely to feel valued.

By contrast, managers who display “strongman” tactics send employees to the door — especially high performers: 

• 3 in 4 employees who say they’re being “ruled with an iron fist” are actively job seeking.
• When fair or poorly rated managers become more demanding, it gives their employees — who are already more likely to seek other jobs — an additional push out the door (1.2x).

The organization and the economy pay the price when a hardline stance impacts employee output and engagement. Perceptyx analysis estimates that poor people management costs the U.S. more than $500 billion annually through outcomes like high turnover and reduced productivity. 

“Managers are really on the edge — and it’s not getting better. Organizations putting extra pressure on their managers to harden their leadership style may think they are getting better results, but the data say otherwise. Ruling with an iron fist doesn’t translate to better performance from team members, and it also drives managers right out the door,” said Emily Killham, Senior Director and Head of The Center for Workforce Transformation at Perceptyx. “Focusing on results and holding employees accountable doesn’t make you a bad manager — but that approach is best achieved through care and commitment.” 

“Managers’ readiness to abandon the profession should serve as a wake-up call to their organizations. If you want more leaders who can drive performance without driving their teams away, it’s time to seriously support your managers: define what great leadership looks like, provide time and resources to achieve the outcomes, and invest in personalized development built around their needs,” added Killham.

For a full breakdown of the trend towards tough leadership and the price tag for poor management, download The Great Management Meltdown: Why 58% of Leaders Want Out and What It Means for Business.