Five Surprising Leadership Statistics You Should Know was originally published on Ivy Exec.
Simply put: The workplace looks different (much of it is virtual these days). As such, employees and consumers alike have different dreams and desires.
Leaders are tasked with learning how to navigate the new landscape, adapting both internally and externally to cultivate cultures that support their teams’ visions and innovate to remain competitive in today’s ever-evolving industries.
But don’t just take our word for it. Science says so, too.
Five surprising leadership statistics
Check out these five surprising leadership statistics you should know about what the working world looks like for C-suite execs today.
1️⃣ Women feel lonelier as they climb in their careers.
More than half (53%) of women in the workplace report feeling lonely – it only gets worse the higher up in their careers they climb, according to a study conducted by TheLi.st, Berlin Cameron & Benenson Strategy Group.
While many men reported feeling less lonely as they progressed in their careers, 60% of women in leadership said it got worse.
Nearly 30% of senior-level women surveyed said they don’t feel like they have support, and two-thirds report the combination of work and home responsibilities has left them feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.
2️⃣ More than half of managers feel burnt out.
According to Microsoft’s most recent Work Trend Index, more than half of managers (53%) report feeling burned out.
The survey of 20,000 people in 11 countries suggests that prioritization is key in managing their overflowing to-do lists and the work of their employees to avoid burnout.
“Leaders need to create clarity and purpose for their people, aligning work with the company mission and team goals,” the report reads. “And defining what work doesn’t matter is just as important as defining what does – in a world where everything is important, nothing is. We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns due to overwork and overwhelm – if leaders don’t intervene, they put productivity in jeopardy.”
3️⃣ Female leaders are switching jobs at unprecedented rates.
“Women leaders are switching jobs at the highest rates we’ve ever seen, and ambitious young women are prepared to do the same,” according to the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey, in partnership with LeanIn.org. It’s dubbed the “Great Breakup.”
In fact, according to the report, for every one woman at the director level promoted to the next level, two women at the director level opt to leave the company.
4️⃣ Almost half of CEOs are seriously concerned about the advent of AI.
Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm, sending leaders’ minds spiraling along with it.
While many are indeed curious about and excited for the future, 42% surveyed at the recent Yale CEO Summit believe that it has the potential to “destroy humanity” five to 10 years from now.
While half (exactly 50%) of CEOs surveyed by the IBM (NYSE: IBM) Institute for Business Value say that they already integrate generative AI, more than half (57%) admitted to being concerned about data security, and 48% worry about bias and accuracy.
5️⃣ A recession is top of mind for most C-suite execs.
According to the 2023 Conference Board survey from January, most C-suite executives don’t foresee stronger economic growth ahead.
In fact, 51 percent of CEOs worldwide (and 60 percent of those in the U.S.) expect the year to be a tough one economically.
While some believe that things should pick up again by the end of the year and next, a recession remains top of mind for many. A recession/economic downturn ranks as their no. 1 external concern, which rose from the sixth spot last year.
The bottom line
These statistics offer valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that leaders are facing in today’s workplace.
As times change, companies are changing with them – and leaders need to adapt. Knowing these numbers is an essential first step in creating the change you wish to see in your industry.
