The ten most-selected challenges in question 6 are shown as percentages. Difficult conversations leads the UK average at 32%, followed by increased stress at 30%. Use the controls to switch among the UK average, age, job role and gender.
| % that find this challenging |
|---|
| Challenge | Group | Selected by respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | All respondents | 32% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | Men | 31% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | Women | 32% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | 25-34 | 29% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | 35-44 | 32% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | 45-54 | 31% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | 55-64 | 30% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | Junior managers | 39% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | Middle managers | 32% |
| Having ‘difficult’ conversations | Senior managers | 24% |
| Increased stress | All respondents | 30% |
| Increased stress | Men | 29% |
| Increased stress | Women | 31% |
| Increased stress | 25-34 | 30% |
| Increased stress | 35-44 | 33% |
| Increased stress | 45-54 | 28% |
| Increased stress | 55-64 | 31% |
| Increased stress | Junior managers | 30% |
| Increased stress | Middle managers | 31% |
| Increased stress | Senior managers | 29% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | All respondents | 25% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | Men | 25% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | Women | 26% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | 25-34 | 17% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | 35-44 | 26% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | 45-54 | 25% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | 55-64 | 33% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | Junior managers | 23% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | Middle managers | 27% |
| Managing grievances, disciplinary procedures, dismissals or redundancies | Senior managers | 22% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | All respondents | 24% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | Men | 22% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | Women | 25% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | 25-34 | 20% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | 35-44 | 24% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | 45-54 | 26% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | 55-64 | 26% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | Junior managers | 27% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | Middle managers | 23% |
| Managing challenging / problematic behaviour within my team | Senior managers | 21% |
| More meetings | All respondents | 21% |
| More meetings | Men | 24% |
| More meetings | Women | 19% |
| More meetings | 25-34 | 17% |
| More meetings | 35-44 | 21% |
| More meetings | 45-54 | 22% |
| More meetings | 55-64 | 24% |
| More meetings | Junior managers | 20% |
| More meetings | Middle managers | 26% |
| More meetings | Senior managers | 11% |
| Extra admin / workload | All respondents | 21% |
| Extra admin / workload | Men | 19% |
| Extra admin / workload | Women | 22% |
| Extra admin / workload | 25-34 | 20% |
| Extra admin / workload | 35-44 | 22% |
| Extra admin / workload | 45-54 | 18% |
| Extra admin / workload | 55-64 | 22% |
| Extra admin / workload | Junior managers | 21% |
| Extra admin / workload | Middle managers | 23% |
| Extra admin / workload | Senior managers | 19% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | All respondents | 20% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | Men | 20% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | Women | 20% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | 25-34 | 16% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | 35-44 | 23% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | 45-54 | 13% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | 55-64 | 24% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | Junior managers | 22% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | Middle managers | 22% |
| Enforcing policies, rules, ways of working or business decisions that I don’t agree with | Senior managers | 19% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | All respondents | 19% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | Men | 20% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | Women | 18% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | 25-34 | 17% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | 35-44 | 22% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | 45-54 | 15% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | 55-64 | 22% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | Junior managers | 12% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | Middle managers | 22% |
| Managing unrealistic expectations from my boss / leadership | Senior managers | 21% |
| Absence management | All respondents | 19% |
| Absence management | Men | 16% |
| Absence management | Women | 22% |
| Absence management | 25-34 | 15% |
| Absence management | 35-44 | 24% |
| Absence management | 45-54 | 15% |
| Absence management | 55-64 | 23% |
| Absence management | Junior managers | 15% |
| Absence management | Middle managers | 22% |
| Absence management | Senior managers | 20% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | All respondents | 18% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | Men | 20% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | Women | 16% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | 25-34 | 13% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | 35-44 | 21% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | 45-54 | 18% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | 55-64 | 20% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | Junior managers | 12% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | Middle managers | 20% |
| Being a mediator / dealing with interpersonal friction or conflict | Senior managers | 17% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | All respondents | 18% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | Men | 18% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | Women | 18% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | 25-34 | 16% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | 35-44 | 20% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | 45-54 | 22% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | 55-64 | 11% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | Junior managers | 17% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | Middle managers | 22% |
| Giving and receiving critical feedback | Senior managers | 11% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | All respondents | 15% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | Men | 12% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | Women | 18% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | 25-34 | 15% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | 35-44 | 22% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | 45-54 | 10% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | 55-64 | 11% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | Junior managers | 12% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | Middle managers | 15% |
| Responsibility for others' performance, behaviour and actions (eg shared targets / shared accountability) | Senior managers | 18% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | All respondents | 14% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | Men | 13% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | Women | 16% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | 25-34 | 20% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | 35-44 | 14% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | 45-54 | 12% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | 55-64 | 13% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | Junior managers | 16% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | Middle managers | 14% |
| Lack of support from my boss / leadership | Senior managers | 14% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | All respondents | 14% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Men | 13% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Women | 14% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 25-34 | 11% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 35-44 | 16% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 45-54 | 16% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | 55-64 | 11% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Junior managers | 13% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Middle managers | 12% |
| Performance management: managing others’ performance, productivity and progression | Senior managers | 11% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | All respondents | 14% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | Men | 12% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | Women | 16% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | 25-34 | 12% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | 35-44 | 15% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | 45-54 | 14% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | 55-64 | 14% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | Junior managers | 10% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | Middle managers | 15% |
| Managing my team’s competing demands and priorities / being ‘always on’ | Senior managers | 16% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | All respondents | 13% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | Men | 16% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | Women | 10% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | 25-34 | 13% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | 35-44 | 14% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | 45-54 | 13% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | 55-64 | 12% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | Junior managers | 13% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | Middle managers | 15% |
| Being less ‘hands on’ / doing less of the tasks or technical work that I enjoy | Senior managers | 12% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | All respondents | 13% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | Men | 12% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | Women | 14% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | 25-34 | 13% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | 35-44 | 14% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | 45-54 | 14% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | 55-64 | 9% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | Junior managers | 8% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | Middle managers | 16% |
| Managing others’ expectations (around pay, promotions and work in general) | Senior managers | 13% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | All respondents | 12% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | Men | 11% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | Women | 13% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | 25-34 | 15% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | 35-44 | 12% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | 45-54 | 11% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | 55-64 | 9% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | Junior managers | 15% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | Middle managers | 11% |
| Delegating / trusting others to do tasks well | Senior managers | 9% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | All respondents | 11% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | Men | 10% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | Women | 13% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | 25-34 | 15% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | 35-44 | 15% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | 45-54 | 5% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | 55-64 | 11% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | Junior managers | 10% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | Middle managers | 13% |
| Feeling isolated / feeling part of but separate to my team | Senior managers | 14% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | All respondents | 11% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | Men | 12% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | Women | 9% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | 25-34 | 16% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | 35-44 | 11% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | 45-54 | 13% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | 55-64 | 4% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | Junior managers | 6% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | Middle managers | 10% |
| Recruitment / interviewing | Senior managers | 15% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | All respondents | 11% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | Men | 12% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | Women | 9% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | 25-34 | 10% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | 35-44 | 11% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | 45-54 | 11% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | 55-64 | 12% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | Junior managers | 11% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | Middle managers | 10% |
| Supporting individuals experiencing personal issues / difficulties | Senior managers | 10% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | All respondents | 10% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | Men | 11% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | Women | 10% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | 25-34 | 8% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | 35-44 | 12% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | 45-54 | 12% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | 55-64 | 9% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | Junior managers | 7% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | Middle managers | 13% |
| Managing remote / hybrid workers | Senior managers | 9% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | All respondents | 10% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | Men | 10% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | Women | 11% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | 25-34 | 9% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | 35-44 | 17% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | 45-54 | 6% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | 55-64 | 9% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | Junior managers | 10% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | Middle managers | 13% |
| Managing former peers (people I used to work alongside) / friends | Senior managers | 7% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | All respondents | 10% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | Men | 11% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | Women | 9% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | 25-34 | 13% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | 35-44 | 14% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | 45-54 | 5% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | 55-64 | 10% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | Junior managers | 6% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | Middle managers | 9% |
| Communicating change to my team (policy changes / restructures / redundancies etc) | Senior managers | 14% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | All respondents | 9% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Men | 10% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Women | 8% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 25-34 | 10% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 35-44 | 14% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 45-54 | 7% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | 55-64 | 4% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Junior managers | 9% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Middle managers | 9% |
| Motivating / engaging my team | Senior managers | 10% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | All respondents | 9% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | Men | 12% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | Women | 6% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | 25-34 | 13% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | 35-44 | 10% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | 45-54 | 7% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | 55-64 | 7% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | Junior managers | 8% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | Middle managers | 12% |
| Supporting my team’s wellbeing | Senior managers | 3% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | All respondents | 9% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Men | 10% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Women | 8% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 25-34 | 13% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 35-44 | 13% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 45-54 | 4% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | 55-64 | 7% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Junior managers | 6% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Middle managers | 7% |
| Managing a diverse or multigenerational team | Senior managers | 15% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | All respondents | 9% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | Men | 8% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | Women | 10% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | 25-34 | 14% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | 35-44 | 10% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | 45-54 | 7% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | 55-64 | 3% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | Junior managers | 6% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | Middle managers | 12% |
| Managing people who are older than me / have more experience than me | Senior managers | 7% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | All respondents | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | Men | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | Women | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | 25-34 | 7% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | 35-44 | 11% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | 45-54 | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | 55-64 | 4% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | Junior managers | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | Middle managers | 8% |
| Being a player-coach (balancing people management tasks while also keeping up with my work / ‘day job’) | Senior managers | 13% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | All respondents | 7% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | Men | 8% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | Women | 6% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | 25-34 | 9% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | 35-44 | 9% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | 45-54 | 7% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | 55-64 | 4% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | Junior managers | 7% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | Middle managers | 8% |
| Onboarding / training new team members | Senior managers | 6% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | All respondents | 6% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | Men | 7% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | Women | 5% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | 25-34 | 9% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | 35-44 | 9% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | 45-54 | 4% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | 55-64 | 1% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | Junior managers | 5% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | Middle managers | 7% |
| Mentoring / coaching: developing people | Senior managers | 7% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | All respondents | 5% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | Men | 4% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | Women | 5% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | 25-34 | 4% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | 35-44 | 4% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | 45-54 | 5% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | 55-64 | 3% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | Junior managers | 2% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | Middle managers | 4% |
| None of the above / I don’t find any aspect of managing people challenging | Senior managers | 11% |
Source: Survey by Ciphr of 500 UK managers, who manage other people (September 2026).