Women managers tend to be more engaged than males, yet there are still far more male than female managers in the American workplace.

“Individuals who work for a female manager are also six percentage points more engaged, on average, than those who work for a male manager,” Gallup reported. “Female employees working for female managers have the highest engagement (35 percent engaged), while male employees working for male managers have the lowest engagement (25 percent engaged).”

What can companies do to try to shift their management team from disengaged to engaged? Gallup offers four critical suggestions:

• Create a talent-driven human capital strategy by knowing “what success looks like in every manager role and strategically think about how each hire fits into their short- and long-term objectives.”

• Grow talent, don’t just promote people, and understand that success at one level of performance does not necessarily project success into the next one. “Businesses should be highly conscientious in their succession planning. A great front-line employee is not necessarily going to be a great manager, and a great manager is not necessarily going to be a great leader. Each of these roles requires a different set of talents.”

• Reward performance, not title. It’s okay for a direct report to earn more than one’s supervisor. “High-performing employees are vital to a company's performance, which the company should compensate accordingly. Businesses back themselves into a corner when they tie pay to managerial status, creating an environment in which employees constantly compete for roles that don't suit them.”

• Emphasize and support continuous improvement in managers. “Companies need to make an investment in their managers and provide them with the resources, tools and support they need to refine and cultivate their strengths. Development is not dependent on tenure, and managers at all stages of their career should have opportunities to learn and grow.”