The ten most-selected changes that could help managers enjoy their role more are shown as percentages. Reducing unnecessary bureaucracy leads the UK average at 24%, followed by more pay at 22%. Use the controls to switch among the UK average, age, job role and gender.
| % that say this would help |
|---|
| Challenge | Group | Selected by respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | All respondents | 24% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | Men | 25% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | Women | 24% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | 25-34 | 23% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | 35-44 | 21% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | 45-54 | 25% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | 55-64 | 31% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | Junior managers | 20% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | Middle managers | 24% |
| Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy | Senior managers | 29% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | All respondents | 22% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | Men | 21% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | Women | 22% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | 25-34 | 27% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | 35-44 | 26% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | 45-54 | 18% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | 55-64 | 18% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | Junior managers | 31% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | Middle managers | 22% |
| Pay me more money for my role / responsibilities | Senior managers | 20% |
| Management / leadership training | All respondents | 20% |
| Management / leadership training | Men | 17% |
| Management / leadership training | Women | 23% |
| Management / leadership training | 25-34 | 18% |
| Management / leadership training | 35-44 | 25% |
| Management / leadership training | 45-54 | 23% |
| Management / leadership training | 55-64 | 16% |
| Management / leadership training | Junior managers | 18% |
| Management / leadership training | Middle managers | 19% |
| Management / leadership training | Senior managers | 24% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | All respondents | 20% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | Men | 18% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | Women | 21% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | 25-34 | 23% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | 35-44 | 22% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | 45-54 | 18% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | 55-64 | 17% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | Junior managers | 16% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | Middle managers | 21% |
| More effective support from my boss / leadership | Senior managers | 24% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | All respondents | 19% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | Men | 17% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | Women | 21% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | 25-34 | 10% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | 35-44 | 17% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | 45-54 | 21% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | 55-64 | 27% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | Junior managers | 24% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | Middle managers | 17% |
| Fewer or shorter meetings | Senior managers | 19% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | All respondents | 19% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | Men | 18% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | Women | 20% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | 25-34 | 23% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | 35-44 | 12% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | 45-54 | 19% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | 55-64 | 26% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | Junior managers | 21% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | Middle managers | 17% |
| Reduce unrealistic targets | Senior managers | 21% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | All respondents | 18% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | Men | 19% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | Women | 16% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | 25-34 | 16% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | 35-44 | 17% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | 45-54 | 14% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | 55-64 | 27% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | Junior managers | 14% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | Middle managers | 22% |
| Less admin and low-value busywork | Senior managers | 13% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | All respondents | 17% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | Men | 12% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | Women | 22% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | 25-34 | 17% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | 35-44 | 20% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | 45-54 | 16% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | 55-64 | 19% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | Junior managers | 17% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | Middle managers | 15% |
| Health and wellbeing support tailored for managers | Senior managers | 20% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | All respondents | 17% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | Men | 15% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | Women | 19% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | 25-34 | 16% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | 35-44 | 16% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | 45-54 | 16% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | 55-64 | 20% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | Junior managers | 21% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | Middle managers | 16% |
| Reduce 'ASAP culture' (don’t mark things as urgent, unless they are) | Senior managers | 17% |
| More effective support from HR | All respondents | 16% |
| More effective support from HR | Men | 16% |
| More effective support from HR | Women | 16% |
| More effective support from HR | 25-34 | 22% |
| More effective support from HR | 35-44 | 16% |
| More effective support from HR | 45-54 | 16% |
| More effective support from HR | 55-64 | 13% |
| More effective support from HR | Junior managers | 14% |
| More effective support from HR | Middle managers | 18% |
| More effective support from HR | Senior managers | 14% |
| Provide more resources / budget | All respondents | 16% |
| Provide more resources / budget | Men | 14% |
| Provide more resources / budget | Women | 19% |
| Provide more resources / budget | 25-34 | 21% |
| Provide more resources / budget | 35-44 | 18% |
| Provide more resources / budget | 45-54 | 10% |
| Provide more resources / budget | 55-64 | 18% |
| Provide more resources / budget | Junior managers | 14% |
| Provide more resources / budget | Middle managers | 15% |
| Provide more resources / budget | Senior managers | 21% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | All respondents | 15% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | Men | 16% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | Women | 15% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | 25-34 | 20% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | 35-44 | 19% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | 45-54 | 14% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | 55-64 | 10% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | Junior managers | 9% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | Middle managers | 16% |
| Provide greater clarity of organisational goals, values and responsibilities (so everyone knows what’s expected of them and why) | Senior managers | 19% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | All respondents | 15% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | Men | 17% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | Women | 13% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | 25-34 | 20% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | 35-44 | 15% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | 45-54 | 15% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | 55-64 | 10% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | Junior managers | 8% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | Middle managers | 18% |
| Clearer career pathways / personalised development | Senior managers | 18% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | All respondents | 15% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | Men | 13% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | Women | 17% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | 25-34 | 15% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | 35-44 | 18% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | 45-54 | 12% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | 55-64 | 18% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | Junior managers | 11% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | Middle managers | 15% |
| More knowledge / advice sharing between managers across the organisation | Senior managers | 21% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | All respondents | 15% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | Men | 16% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | Women | 14% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | 25-34 | 16% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | 35-44 | 17% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | 45-54 | 16% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | 55-64 | 12% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | Junior managers | 15% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | Middle managers | 15% |
| More autonomy and trust over decisions / processes | Senior managers | 16% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | All respondents | 14% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | Men | 13% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | Women | 16% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | 25-34 | 17% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | 35-44 | 17% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | 45-54 | 13% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | 55-64 | 11% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | Junior managers | 15% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | Middle managers | 16% |
| Reduce my workload, so I’m not a player-coach (and can focus more on managing my team) | Senior managers | 12% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | All respondents | 14% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | Men | 12% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | Women | 16% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | 25-34 | 21% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | 35-44 | 14% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | 45-54 | 12% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | 55-64 | 10% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | Junior managers | 17% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | Middle managers | 13% |
| Employ more / additional staff to distribute workload | Senior managers | 11% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | All respondents | 13% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | Men | 13% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | Women | 13% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | 25-34 | 18% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | 35-44 | 16% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | 45-54 | 7% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | 55-64 | 12% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | Junior managers | 5% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | Middle managers | 15% |
| Invest in AI tools to help with my people management / admin tasks | Senior managers | 17% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | All respondents | 13% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | Men | 12% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | Women | 14% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | 25-34 | 13% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | 35-44 | 16% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | 45-54 | 13% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | 55-64 | 10% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | Junior managers | 10% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | Middle managers | 17% |
| More recognition of the people management side of my job | Senior managers | 12% |
| Having a mentor / coach | All respondents | 12% |
| Having a mentor / coach | Men | 13% |
| Having a mentor / coach | Women | 11% |
| Having a mentor / coach | 25-34 | 12% |
| Having a mentor / coach | 35-44 | 20% |
| Having a mentor / coach | 45-54 | 8% |
| Having a mentor / coach | 55-64 | 7% |
| Having a mentor / coach | Junior managers | 9% |
| Having a mentor / coach | Middle managers | 13% |
| Having a mentor / coach | Senior managers | 14% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | All respondents | 12% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | Men | 12% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | Women | 12% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | 25-34 | 18% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | 35-44 | 15% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | 45-54 | 6% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | 55-64 | 11% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | Junior managers | 10% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | Middle managers | 13% |
| Provide greater clarity of my role as a manager and what’s expected of me | Senior managers | 13% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | All respondents | 10% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | Men | 10% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | Women | 10% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | 25-34 | 19% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | 35-44 | 8% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | 45-54 | 8% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | 55-64 | 8% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | Junior managers | 6% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | Middle managers | 12% |
| Invest in better HR / people management software | Senior managers | 12% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | All respondents | 10% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | Men | 10% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | Women | 11% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | 25-34 | 8% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | 35-44 | 16% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | 45-54 | 10% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | 55-64 | 8% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | Junior managers | 9% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | Middle managers | 11% |
| More repeatable processes / templates and guides to follow | Senior managers | 11% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | All respondents | 9% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | Men | 10% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | Women | 7% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | 25-34 | 7% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | 35-44 | 7% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | 45-54 | 7% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | 55-64 | 13% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | Junior managers | 3% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | Middle managers | 11% |
| Nothing – I already enjoy it | Senior managers | 10% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | All respondents | 5% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | Men | 4% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | Women | 5% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | 25-34 | 4% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | 35-44 | 7% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | 45-54 | 4% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | 55-64 | 2% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | Junior managers | 3% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | Middle managers | 6% |
| Reduce the size of my team (so I have fewer people to manage) | Senior managers | 5% |
| None of the above | All respondents | 4% |
| None of the above | Men | 4% |
| None of the above | Women | 3% |
| None of the above | 25-34 | 3% |
| None of the above | 35-44 | 3% |
| None of the above | 45-54 | 5% |
| None of the above | 55-64 | 2% |
| None of the above | Junior managers | 4% |
| None of the above | Middle managers | 2% |
| None of the above | Senior managers | 4% |
| Not sure / I don't know | All respondents | 3% |
| Not sure / I don't know | Men | 3% |
| Not sure / I don't know | Women | 3% |
| Not sure / I don't know | 25-34 | 3% |
| Not sure / I don't know | 35-44 | 2% |
| Not sure / I don't know | 45-54 | 1% |
| Not sure / I don't know | 55-64 | 6% |
| Not sure / I don't know | Junior managers | 3% |
| Not sure / I don't know | Middle managers | 2% |
| Not sure / I don't know | Senior managers | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | All respondents | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | Men | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | Women | 1% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | 25-34 | 1% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | 35-44 | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | 45-54 | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | 55-64 | 1% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | Junior managers | 2% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | Middle managers | 1% |
| Nothing – I don’t want to manage people | Senior managers | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | All respondents | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | Men | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | Women | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | 25-34 | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | 35-44 | 4% |
| Prefer not to say | 45-54 | 1% |
| Prefer not to say | 55-64 | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | Junior managers | 4% |
| Prefer not to say | Middle managers | 2% |
| Prefer not to say | Senior managers | 1% |
| Other | All respondents | 0% |
| Other | Men | 1% |
| Other | Women | 0% |
| Other | 25-34 | 0% |
| Other | 35-44 | 0% |
| Other | 45-54 | 0% |
| Other | 55-64 | 2% |
| Other | Junior managers | 2% |
| Other | Middle managers | 0% |
| Other | Senior managers | 0% |
Source: Survey by Ciphr of 500 UK managers, who manage other people (September 2026).