Behaviours that unlock engagement and skyrocket performance in 2025

Keywords: humanleadership, hope, trust, purpose

Date: 17 February 2025, WorkLife Digital

Gallup’s latest global research reveals that the most critical leadership skills aren’t technical - they’re deeply human. The most effective leaders inspire hope, build trust, show compassion, and provide stability. These four fundamental needs transcend industries, cultures, and demographics, making them the cornerstone of impactful leadership.

Why employees need optimistic leaders

The research spanning 52 countries and over 30,000 respondents finds that hope is the single most important quality that employees seek in their leaders, with 56% of respondents emphasising its significance. Hope is particularly critical among younger employees (18-29). Employees want to feel positive about the future, and leaders who inspire, provide vision, and uphold integrity create an environment where people can thrive.

When leaders instil hope, they foster resilience, engagement, and motivation. Conversely, when hope is absent, employees disengage, lose confidence, and struggle to perform at their best. In today’s workplace - where stress levels are rising and uncertainty is prevalent - leaders must double down on their efforts to be a source of inspiration and optimism.

Trust: The foundation of effective leadership

The second most important trait in a leader is trust. Employees need to feel that their leaders act with honesty, respect, and integrity. Leaders who communicate openly, show consistency in their actions, and uphold their commitments build credibility within their teams. Trust is particularly emphasised in Europe, where 37% of respondents ranked it as the most important quality in a leader.

Compassion: Leaders who care, win

Compassion is the third key leadership quality. Employees need to feel that their leaders genuinely care about them as individuals. Leaders who mentor, advocate for their teams, and prioritise psychological safety create workplaces where employees feel valued and engaged.

Stability: Providing certainty in an uncertain world

Finally, employees need stability. This does not mean resisting change but rather providing clear structures, consistent communication, and responsible decision-making. Leaders who offer stability help their teams navigate uncertainty with confidence.

Behaviours that separate good leaders from great ones

Gallup’s research identifies seven essential leadership behaviours:

1. Build relationships

Trust is the currency of modern leadership. Employees who trust their leaders are 4.6x more likely to perform at their peak. This means moving beyond transactional interactions to forge genuine connections.

Actionable Insight: Schedule weekly “listening hours” to understand team challenges without agenda.

2. Develop people

Only 23% of employees feel engaged at work, but teams led by managers who prioritise development see 33% higher business performance. Gallup found that employees who receive regular feedback are 3.5x more likely to be engaged.

Actionable Insight: Add to annual reviews with regular growth conversations focused on strengths.

3. Lead change

With 85 million jobs expected to be displaced by automation by 2025, leaders must model adaptability. Teams with change-ready leaders report 18% higher productivity.

Actionable Insight: Publicly celebrate “smart failures” to encourage innovation.

4. Inspire others

Hope isn’t abstract—it’s strategic. Leaders who articulate a compelling vision see 64% higher retention. Purpose-driven organisations outperform competitors by 42% in profitability.

Actionable Insight: Link daily tasks to broader organisational missions in team meetings.

5. Think critically

In a world drowning in data, employees need leaders who cut through noise. Teams led by critical thinkers achieve 20% higher problem-solving efficiency.

Actionable Insight: Use “pre-mortem” exercises to anticipate risks before major decisions.

6. Communicate clearly

Miscommunication costs businesses $37 billion annually. Gallup found that clarity boosts engagement by 50%.

Actionable Insight: Replace jargon with storytelling—data shows stories are 22x more memorable than facts alone.

7. Create accountability

High-accountability teams deliver 23% higher profitability. But accountability starts at the top: 72% of employees mirror their leader’s ownership behaviours.

Actionable Insight: Publicly track progress on shared goals using visual dashboards.

The Bottom Line: Human Leadership = Business Results

The data is unequivocal:

• Companies with highly engaged teams achieve 21% higher profitability.

• Organisations that prioritise trust and hope see 40% lower turnover.

• Teams led by emotionally intelligent managers deliver 34% better customer loyalty.

Actionable insight: Audit your leadership against these seven expectations. Where are you strongest? Where is there friction? Remember: in 2025, the best leaders aren’t those with all the answers - they’re those who ask the right questions, listen deeply, and turn hope into action.

WorkLife Digital is a global mental-wellbeing consultancy driven by the mission to improve the sustainability of businesses. Our psychological wellbeing tool, Worklife Quotient (WL-Q), is modelled on cutting-edge scientific research and provides organisation-wide measurement and intelligence on the mental wellbeing levels and psychological resilience of staff. WL-Q also assesses the impact of organisational practices (i.e. people and culture, leadership styles, organisational purpose and values, social impact) that have a direct influence on staff wellbeing and provides strategic recommendations on addressing risks and promoting strengths.

For more information, get in touch at lisa@worklife.digital

REFERENCES

www.gallup.com/analytics/656315/leadership-needs-of-followers