Signal Satisfaction and trust top the reported results of human-centric leadership

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey asks leaders what their organizations gained from adopting human-centric leadership practices. Higher employee satisfaction and retention and stronger trust tie for first place, each cited by 56 percent. Better decision-making follows at 42 percent, and greater organizational adaptability and resilience at 40 percent. The results suggest that the benefits show up first in the relationship between leaders and employees and then in the quality of organizational choices. The report presents these outcomes as support for embedding human-centric leadership across teams and the wider organization.