State of Engagement 2026 Report |
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The workplace is evolving - and so is leadership. In a recent conversation during the Best Companies Big Reveal event between Jonathan Austin (CEO) and James Austin (Head of Insight), they explored why the term “manager” no longer resonates and what organisations must do to thrive in this new era.
Why “Manager” Isn’t Enough Anymore
The traditional concept of a manager often implies process and control. But today’s employees want more - they want to be inspired, supported, and led. As James explained, “People don’t just want to be managed; they want to be led.”
This shift is about moving from transactional oversight to transformational leadership - creating clarity, fostering collaboration, and showing genuine care.
What Makes a Great People Leader?
High-performing organisations share a common focus: developing people leaders in three critical areas:
This isn’t just a title change - it’s a mindset shift. People leaders act more like coaches, guiding and empowering their teams rather than simply managing tasks.
Helping Organisations Make the Transition
Many organisations struggle with this transformation. That’s why Best Companies created the Future-Ready People Leader programme, designed to help managers embrace this new leadership model.
For example, UK Power Networks is currently training 800 managers to become people leaders - an investment that will pay dividends in engagement and performance.
How Elevate Makes It Measurable
Shifting to people leadership is powerful, but it needs to be measurable. That’s where Elevate comes in. Elevate provides actionable insights to:
With Elevate, organisations can turn leadership aspirations into tangible results.
“Since moving onto Elevate, the insight from our last two surveys has become significantly more valuable. The platform signposts exactly where our managers personally need to focus and provides the clarity and coaching prompts to take meaningful action.
With all our 'People Leaders' now using Elevate, we’ve seen a real shift in focus and accountability. They are more confident in understanding their team’s engagement drivers, clearer on their priorities and better equipped to support our cultural shift and refreshed company values.
The quality of insight has played a key role in our progress, culminating in achieving 2-Star accreditation and seeing a 2% increase in our My Manager and Leadership scores in less than a year. Elevate has quickly become an essential tool in helping us build a stronger, more engaged business.”
Richard Syree (Head of HR, City West Country)
The Bottom Line
The future of work demands leaders who inspire - not just manage. By combining leadership development programs with data-driven tools like Elevate, organisations can create a culture where people thrive and businesses succeed.
