Do your managers feel confident supporting their teams’ wellbeing? Do they know how to create environments where people feel motivated, engaged, and able to perform at their best?
For many organisations, the honest answer is “sometimes, but not consistently.” That’s not a failure — it’s an opportunity. Because when managers are equipped with the right skills, you see improvements not just in wellbeing, but in performance, retention, and culture.
The accidental manager
It’s a familiar story. Someone excels in their role, gets promoted, and overnight goes from being a technical expert to a people manager. But while they’re great at their function, no one has trained them in the “people side” of management — how to coach, motivate, support, or build psychological safety.
This isn’t a criticism. It just means that without support, managers are left to figure it out on the fly. That’s where targeted training makes the difference.
Gallup research is clear:
- Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement (The Habits of the World’s Best Managers).
- Yet only one in three managers feel confident supporting employee wellbeing (State of the Global Workplace 2024).
The good news? When managers are trained, engagement and performance rise quickly.
Why manager capability is the missing link
Many HR and wellbeing leads tell us: “We’ve invested in great wellbeing resources, but uptake is low. Staff say they’re too busy, or they expect us to ‘make them well.’”
The resources themselves aren’t the issue. The key is whether managers create an environment where people feel safe and supported to use them. When that tone is set — balancing accountability with encouragement — wellbeing programmes stick, and staff take ownership of their health and performance.
Making training practical and measurable
The most effective training is simple, practical, and measurable. Here’s the cycle that we’ve seen works best:
- Baseline first
- Gather data through surveys, manager confidence scores, or 360 feedback.
- Tailored training
- Focus on what your organisation needs most: psychological safety, engagement, motivation, or retention.
- End sessions with clear action plans so managers know what to do differently tomorrow.
- Regular follow-up
- Bring managers back together every few months.
- Share wins, tackle barriers, and keep momentum alive.
- Re-measure
- Compare results at 6 and 12 months against your baseline.
- Track changes in engagement, absence, retention, and manager confidence.
This creates accountability, shows progress, and links training directly to business outcomes.
What the numbers say
When managers are supported, the impact is measurable:
- Programmes we’ve run have achieved a 25% increase in employees’ sense of organisational support.
- In global teams, we’ve seen a 22x improvement in staff reporting better mental and physical wellbeing.
- Deloitte estimates that replacing an employee can cost 1.5–2x their annual salary — meaning even small gains in retention generate significant savings.
These are tangible outcomes that HR leaders can take to their boards with confidence.
Final thought
Managers don’t need to be therapists. But they do need the skills to support, challenge, and coach their people so they can sustainably perform at their best.
Investing in managers isn’t just about wellbeing. It’s about building teams that are motivated, resilient, and delivering results — now and long into the future.
If you want your wellbeing strategy to land, your culture to thrive, and your performance to rise, start with your managers.
Your next steps
We can support you at Ridgeflow Performance, or you can use other trusted providers through the MAD Supplier Network. Ridgeflow Performance:
- Deliver bespoke, CPD-accredited training that’s tailored to your managers’ real-world challenges.
- Partner with organisations and health insurers to provide training as part of core employee benefits. (Maybe check with your health insurance provider to see if they offer good training.)
- Stay involved through baseline design, follow-up sessions, and re-measurement — not just a one-off workshop.
About the author
Khalil Rener is the founder of Ridgeflow Performance and a top-tier leadership consultant, performance coach, and wellbeing expert. With a BSc and MSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University, his work focuses on applying the principles of elite sport to help people and teams thrive at work. Khalil has supported organisations including DP World, Novartis, the NHS, JT Global, NatWest, Sport England, and many more—from global companies to schools, councils, and frontline teams. His breadth of experience spans industries, team sizes, and career stages, from senior leaders to students and early-career professionals.
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