The ten most-selected aspects enjoyed in question 5 are shown as percentages. Building relationships within the team leads the UK average at 50%, followed by problem solving at 46%. Use the controls to switch among the UK average, age, job role and gender.
| % that enjoy this |
|---|
| Challenge | Group | Selected by respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Building relationships within my team | All respondents | 50% |
| Building relationships within my team | Men | 50% |
| Building relationships within my team | Women | 51% |
| Building relationships within my team | 25-34 | 44% |
| Building relationships within my team | 35-44 | 47% |
| Building relationships within my team | 45-54 | 49% |
| Building relationships within my team | 55-64 | 62% |
| Building relationships within my team | Junior managers | 45% |
| Building relationships within my team | Middle managers | 52% |
| Building relationships within my team | Senior managers | 51% |
| Problem solving | All respondents | 46% |
| Problem solving | Men | 48% |
| Problem solving | Women | 44% |
| Problem solving | 25-34 | 33% |
| Problem solving | 35-44 | 44% |
| Problem solving | 45-54 | 45% |
| Problem solving | 55-64 | 61% |
| Problem solving | Junior managers | 41% |
| Problem solving | Middle managers | 45% |
| Problem solving | Senior managers | 56% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | All respondents | 43% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Men | 42% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Women | 44% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 25-34 | 37% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 35-44 | 40% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 45-54 | 47% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 55-64 | 51% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Junior managers | 35% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Middle managers | 45% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Senior managers | 51% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | All respondents | 42% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | Men | 38% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | Women | 46% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | 25-34 | 43% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | 35-44 | 38% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | 45-54 | 39% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | 55-64 | 47% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | Junior managers | 40% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | Middle managers | 41% |
| Sharing in team successes / sense of pride in seeing my team succeed | Senior managers | 44% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | All respondents | 42% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | Men | 38% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | Women | 46% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | 25-34 | 38% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | 35-44 | 34% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | 45-54 | 37% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | 55-64 | 60% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | Junior managers | 41% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | Middle managers | 41% |
| Supporting others / supporting my team’s wellbeing | Senior managers | 44% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | All respondents | 41% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | Men | 40% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | Women | 43% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | 25-34 | 41% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | 35-44 | 38% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | 45-54 | 37% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | 55-64 | 52% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | Junior managers | 40% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | Middle managers | 42% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people (helping others produce good results / achieve goals) | Senior managers | 46% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | All respondents | 39% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | Men | 40% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | Women | 38% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | 25-34 | 40% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | 35-44 | 36% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | 45-54 | 40% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | 55-64 | 40% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | Junior managers | 36% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | Middle managers | 37% |
| Leading by example / being a role model | Senior managers | 48% |
| Higher pay | All respondents | 39% |
| Higher pay | Men | 42% |
| Higher pay | Women | 36% |
| Higher pay | 25-34 | 36% |
| Higher pay | 35-44 | 41% |
| Higher pay | 45-54 | 34% |
| Higher pay | 55-64 | 48% |
| Higher pay | Junior managers | 32% |
| Higher pay | Middle managers | 44% |
| Higher pay | Senior managers | 35% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | All respondents | 39% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | Men | 36% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | Women | 42% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | 25-34 | 43% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | 35-44 | 38% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | 45-54 | 34% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | 55-64 | 42% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | Junior managers | 32% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | Middle managers | 37% |
| Helping to shape team / workplace culture and support employee experience | Senior managers | 49% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | All respondents | 34% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | Men | 35% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | Women | 33% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | 25-34 | 25% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | 35-44 | 35% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | 45-54 | 37% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | 55-64 | 34% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | Junior managers | 29% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | Middle managers | 33% |
| Offering honest, constructive feedback that helps people to grow | Senior managers | 39% |
| Increased decision making | All respondents | 34% |
| Increased decision making | Men | 38% |
| Increased decision making | Women | 29% |
| Increased decision making | 25-34 | 37% |
| Increased decision making | 35-44 | 38% |
| Increased decision making | 45-54 | 25% |
| Increased decision making | 55-64 | 37% |
| Increased decision making | Junior managers | 23% |
| Increased decision making | Middle managers | 32% |
| Increased decision making | Senior managers | 48% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | All respondents | 32% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | Men | 30% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | Women | 35% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | 25-34 | 31% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | 35-44 | 28% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | 45-54 | 34% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | 55-64 | 39% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | Junior managers | 28% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | Middle managers | 34% |
| Feeling valued / recognised for my work as a people manager | Senior managers | 34% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | All respondents | 27% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Men | 28% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Women | 27% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 25-34 | 32% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 35-44 | 32% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 45-54 | 19% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 55-64 | 24% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Junior managers | 14% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Middle managers | 31% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Senior managers | 35% |
| Recruitment / building my team | All respondents | 27% |
| Recruitment / building my team | Men | 28% |
| Recruitment / building my team | Women | 26% |
| Recruitment / building my team | 25-34 | 23% |
| Recruitment / building my team | 35-44 | 28% |
| Recruitment / building my team | 45-54 | 22% |
| Recruitment / building my team | 55-64 | 36% |
| Recruitment / building my team | Junior managers | 11% |
| Recruitment / building my team | Middle managers | 30% |
| Recruitment / building my team | Senior managers | 38% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | All respondents | 25% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | Men | 24% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | Women | 26% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | 25-34 | 22% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | 35-44 | 24% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | 45-54 | 22% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | 55-64 | 37% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | Junior managers | 25% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | Middle managers | 27% |
| More autonomy and flexibility over my work | Senior managers | 24% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | All respondents | 25% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Men | 25% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Women | 25% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 25-34 | 23% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 35-44 | 25% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 45-54 | 21% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 55-64 | 33% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Junior managers | 15% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Middle managers | 25% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Senior managers | 32% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | All respondents | 24% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | Men | 26% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | Women | 22% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | 25-34 | 20% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | 35-44 | 28% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | 45-54 | 22% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | 55-64 | 27% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | Junior managers | 14% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | Middle managers | 27% |
| More organisational authority / strategic influence / visibility / responsibility | Senior managers | 27% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | All respondents | 22% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | Men | 24% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | Women | 19% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | 25-34 | 25% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | 35-44 | 27% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | 45-54 | 18% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | 55-64 | 13% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | Junior managers | 13% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | Middle managers | 24% |
| Status of position / role: climbing the career ladder / advancing my career | Senior managers | 24% |
| More complex tasks or projects | All respondents | 21% |
| More complex tasks or projects | Men | 20% |
| More complex tasks or projects | Women | 21% |
| More complex tasks or projects | 25-34 | 19% |
| More complex tasks or projects | 35-44 | 22% |
| More complex tasks or projects | 45-54 | 16% |
| More complex tasks or projects | 55-64 | 27% |
| More complex tasks or projects | Junior managers | 14% |
| More complex tasks or projects | Middle managers | 21% |
| More complex tasks or projects | Senior managers | 27% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | All respondents | 13% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | Men | 16% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | Women | 10% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | 25-34 | 12% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | 35-44 | 14% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | 45-54 | 13% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | 55-64 | 11% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | Junior managers | 10% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | Middle managers | 13% |
| Mediating / helping to defuse friction or conflict | Senior managers | 13% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | All respondents | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | Men | 0% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | Women | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | 25-34 | 0% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | 35-44 | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | 45-54 | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | 55-64 | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | Junior managers | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | Middle managers | 1% |
| None of the above / I don’t enjoy any aspect of managing people | Senior managers | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | All respondents | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | Men | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | Women | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | 25-34 | 1% |
| Prefer not to say | 35-44 | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | 45-54 | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | 55-64 | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | Junior managers | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | Middle managers | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | Senior managers | 0% |
Source: Survey by Ciphr of 500 UK managers, who manage other people (September 2026).