UL study finds future business leaders are reluctant to step up due to concerns over work-life balance

Employees are reluctant to step up to senior leadership roles due to concerns over their work-life balance, according to new University of Limerick research published today.

A study into the perceptions and motivations of future leaders, undertaken by University of Limerick’s Kemmy Business School and fully funded by ICBE Business Excellence Skillnet, found that approximately one-third of employees will never step up to a senior leadership position – despite believing they have the requisite skills and ambition to do so.

According to the findings of Answering the Call to Lead: Future Leader Perceptions, Motivations, Skills and Needs, concern around work-life balance was cited as the number one reason why 27% of respondents would choose not to pursue the career progression.

The study of more than 550 professionals also found that the concept of work-life balance has become less gendered than before, with men in the workplace now as concerned about family life, health and wellbeing as their female counterparts.

Participants expressed apprehension around the “dark side of leadership” – perceived organisational risk as well as politics and conflict, especially at the leadership table. Indeed, while they acknowledged that stepping into a leadership role is worthy, 71% believe answering the call to lead is “risky” due to concerns around the professional, reputational and personal risk they will inherit.

With 90% believing they will ‘rise or fall’ based on their team’s performance, there was a shared belief that life at the senior leadership table is “unbearably stressful, political, risky, lonely and unhealthy”.

With the remainder of respondents confirming they are either ready to step up this year (28%) or hoping to do so within the next five years (45%), crucially, the report also outlines how organisations can support future leaders to advance into senior roles.

The report highlights the critical role of current leaders in role-modelling and reaffirming that work-life balance at the top senior level is achievable and sustainable, as well as their responsibility to alter misconceptions around the same.

Also highlighted is the responsibility of organisations in supporting their employees’ ambitions as best they can – and ensuring organisational barriers don’t disable these ambitions – to enable successful transition into leadership while also nurturing those who are not quite ready yet.

Professor Finbarr Murphy, Executive Dean of UL’s Kemmy Business School, said: “The Kemmy Business School is committed to supporting the Mid-West, a vibrant region with an international reach. This Call to Lead research is an important piece of the picture in understanding the criticality of leadership today. Moreover, it ensures the KBS can respond with Executive and Professional Education upskilling in key spaces – supporting Business Leaders where they need it most, in the ways they feel work best.”

Associate Professor Sarah Kieran, Assistant Dean, Executive and Professional Education at Kemmy Business School, added: “The decision to step up to lead should be more exciting than daunting. Future leaders should feel ready and willing but that is not always the case. Understanding why some people feel ready and others do not, why some know they can do the job but chose not to right now (or not yet) is important for Ireland and its international competitive positioning. The need to rethink leadership sits at the leadership table and time is of the essence.”

Vivienne Kiernan, ICBE Head of Client Engagement, said: “If even a fraction of high-potential leaders are showing reluctance to step into leadership roles, organisations face serious challenges in the coming years. In response to insights from our previous report, the ICBE Business Excellence Skillnet partnered with the KBS WorkFutures Lab to delve deeper into this issue, marking our fifth collaboration. Through our Future of Work research, we aim to identify the evolving skills required by industry and ensure that Ireland’s workforce has access to the upskilling opportunities needed to thrive.”

Dave Flynn, Director of Business Networks, Skillnet Ireland, added: “This research offers valuable insights into the future leaders shaping Ireland’s workforce. The new generation is embracing a more balanced, holistic approach to leadership, while actively addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities ahead. The findings highlight the critical need for continued investment in upskilling to empower leadership talent across all sectors. Through our 70 Skillnet Business Networks and National Initiatives, Skillnet Ireland is committed to delivering cutting-edge upskilling programmes that nurture and advance talent, ensuring strong leadership for the future.”

The study was launched this Thursday at an event hosted by ICBE Business Excellence Skillnet and the Kemmy Business School, UL in the Raddison Blu Limerick.