AMA Study Reveals Growing Gap Between Manager Engagement Perceptions
News related to:American Management Association · 2 min read
NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- American Management Association (AMA) has released new research highlighting a growing disconnect between how managers perceive their engagement and how employees view it.
According to the report, the gap may be attributed to the increasing amount of managerial work that is less visible to employees. Managers are spending more time making decisions, solving problems, navigating uncertainty, and reviewing AI-assisted work. In contrast, employees tend to judge manager engagement based on visible behaviors such as regular communication, clear direction, listening, coaching, and support for professional development.
Manny Avramidis, President and CEO of AMA, noted, "In many organizations, the nature of management is becoming less visible. As AI accelerates work and organizations become more complex, managers are spending more time evaluating information and exercising judgment."
The research also revealed that AI is becoming more urgent for organizations. Employees reported a 63% increase in the urgency of AI adoption compared to previous findings. Additionally, 41% of managers said their use of AI has increased expectations for the amount of work employees should be able to complete in a given period.
The report highlights that AI is not eliminating managerial work but changing its nature. Thirty-six percent of respondents said they use AI to handle routine or administrative work, while 36% reported spending more time reviewing AI outputs. Thirty-one percent of managers stated that AI has changed the types of tasks they delegate, and 30% rely more heavily on AI-generated data and insights when making decisions.
Employees define manager engagement through visible behaviors. Fifty-three percent of employees said communicating openly and regularly signals manager engagement, 42% pointed to clear direction and expectations, and 37% identified listening to employee concerns and supporting employee growth and development.
Avramidis further emphasized, "AI can help managers process information faster, but it does not remove the need for judgment. In many cases, it increases the amount of judgment managers must exercise. Organizations that develop both strong decision-making capability and strong communication capability will be better positioned to succeed."
The findings suggest that organizations should focus on strengthening the human capabilities required to interpret information and make sound decisions. This includes critical thinking, communication, and coaching skills. Managers should also explain the reasoning and priorities behind their decisions, not just communicate outcomes.
The research recommends that organizations establish clearer expectations for manager success and measure both coaching and decision quality.