Authenticity over authority: 63% of professionals leave employer due to poor leadership

A lack of connection with management is a decisive reason for many employees to leave. This is according to Swiss recruitment specialist Robert Walters' recent Talent Trends report, which identifies ‘human-centric leadership’ as the success factor for 2025 and beyond.  

As many as 63% of surveyed professionals say they left a previous employer because they did not feel a click with the leadership team. Another 68% cited ‘empty promises’ from management as the reason for leaving: a clear signal that trust and authenticity are essential.  

“In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, leadership success will be easier to achieve when leaders put people first – more so now than ever as professionals fear the role of AI and whether it will be considered as a job replacement” says Gerrit Bouckaert, CEO of Robert Walters Recruitment.

What deters employees  

The report zooms in on behaviour that massively demotivates employees. For example, 62% say they drop out when leaders only communicate when they need something. 71% see through forced enthusiasm and experience it as ‘unreal’ leadership.  

In addition, these six characteristics were mentioned most often in poor or inauthentic leadership:  

• Lack of transparency (72%)  
• Inconsistent behaviour (66%)  
• Failure to take responsibility (44%)  
• Not paying enough attention to well-being (30%)  
• Micromanagement (28%)  
• Leading behaviour (22%)  
   

People-focused = more successful 

Organisations that commit to human-centric leadership are 2.6 times more likely to achieve their business goals and are also 1.5 times more likely to retain top talent.   

“Those who fail to engage personally with their teams not only risk losing loyalty but also some valuable insight on the company and ideas for improvement or future growth,” says Bouckaert. “Leaders who really want to make a difference invest in their soft skills: empathy, emotional intelligence and sincere communication. They create a culture where feedback is welcome, commitment is rewarded, and well-being is as important as results. That is not a ‘soft approach’ but pure business sense,” Bouckaert concludes.  

Want to know more?

Download Robert Walters' recent Talent Trends report for more insights. Looking to hire new talent? Contact one of our offices or upload your vacancy today.