94.4% of Young Employees Experience 'Withdrawing' Due to Micromanagement; 55% Consider Quitting [Survey of 400 Junior Staff]

IKUSA Inc. (Headquarters: Toshima-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Daiki Akasaka; hereinafter “IKUSA”), a company that revitalizes internal communication through “play,” has conducted a “Survey on the Reality of Micromanagement” targeting 400 young employees with 1–5 years of professional experience.

With the spread of remote work and the growing emphasis on performance-based evaluation, the degree of managerial involvement is being scrutinized more than ever. Through our support for organizational development via corporate events and training programs, we have focused on the impact of manager-subordinate relationships on junior employee retention and engagement, and have clarified the current situation.

Details of the survey are available here.

Survey Results Summary

Approximately 40% (39.8%) of junior employees reported experiencing “detailed involvement” from their supervisors.

94.4% of those experiencing detailed involvement reported negative experiences leading to withdrawal.

54.5% have considered quitting due to micromanagement.

Meanwhile, 48.3% viewed managerial involvement positively, and 64.8% reported increased motivation.

The ideal manager image was “regularly discusses and gives advice” (34.8%—highest), while “closely monitors progress” ranked lowest at 11.0%.

About 40% of junior employees work under “detailed involvement”

When asked about the extent of their direct supervisor’s involvement in their work, 17.0% answered “very detailed instructions,” and 22.8% “somewhat detailed,” totaling 39.8% who perceive their supervisor’s involvement as “detailed.”

Around 40% of junior employees may be working in an environment close to micromanagement. Meanwhile, 26.8% reported “almost no involvement” or “no involvement at all,” indicating significant variation in the level of involvement.

94.4% experience “withdrawal” due to detailed involvement

Among those who experienced detailed involvement (n=159), when asked about their experiences, 94.4% reported negative experiences leading to withdrawal, including “became afraid of making mistakes and stopped taking on challenges” (42.8%), “started watching the supervisor’s expression” (31.5%), and “withheld suggestions” (20.1%).

While detailed involvement may provide short-term reassurance, it could undermine subordinates’ autonomy and willingness to take initiative in the long term.

Approximately 55% considered quitting due to micromanagement

When asked, “Have you ever thought about quitting because of micromanagement?” 26.0% answered “multiple times” and 28.5% “once,” totaling 54.5% who have considered leaving their job.

The results highlight how excessive management directly impacts junior employee retention.

However, involvement itself is not rejected

That said, junior employees are not rejecting managerial involvement per se. When asked about their perception of involvement, 48.3% responded positively, combining “appreciated” (18.3%) and “somewhat appreciated” (30.0%). Furthermore, 64.8% of those experiencing detailed involvement reported that their “motivation increased.”

The issue is not the presence or absence of involvement, but rather its “nature.” It appears that subordinates seek involvement framed as “support,” not “control.”

What subordinates desire is “dialogue” over “management”

When asked about their ideal managerial style, “regularly discusses and gives advice” received the highest response at 34.8%. In contrast, “closely monitors progress” ranked last at only 11.0%.

Even regarding their current managers, “trusts and delegates” (28.8%) and “shares concerns and walks alongside” (28.5%) ranked high, while “gives step-by-step instructions” remained low at 10.0%.

It appears that what young employees seek is not excessive control, but involvement that maintains an appropriate distance while walking alongside them.

Insight: What is needed is not “management” but “support,” and an appropriate distance built on trust

This survey reveals that while micromanagement cannot be universally dismissed, its impact on subordinates is far from negligible.

While over half of those experiencing detailed involvement felt like quitting, and over 90% reported withdrawal-related experiences, involvement can be perceived positively depending on how it is delivered. Future management must avoid excessive control and instead strive for a “balanced level of involvement” grounded in trust with subordinates.

Corporate events that build “trust between managers and subordinates”

Shared experiences outside of work are an effective way to initiate trust-building between managers and subordinates.

In a separate survey of 620 participants in corporate events supported by our company, 94.2% responded that they “could immerse themselves, forgetting titles and hierarchies,” and 70.8% said “it became easier to consult or chat casually after the event.” This suggests that temporarily removing job titles and positions can transform everyday relationships.

We support the enhancement of psychological safety, employee engagement, and organizational cohesion through experiential and participatory corporate events and training programs. If you are interested, please download our comprehensive brochure from the link below.

Download the comprehensive materials here

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Survey on the Reality of Micromanagement

Purpose: To understand the reality of detailed managerial involvement (micromanagement) from the perspective of junior employees

Survey Period: April 2026

Target: Employees with 1–5 years of experience (from general staff to section heads, with direct supervisors)

Valid Responses: 400

Method: Online survey

* Percentages are rounded to two decimal places, so totals may not sum to 100%.

* Q3 and Q4 were analyzed based on the 159 respondents who answered “somewhat detailed” or “very detailed instructions” in Q1.

* When quoting or reproducing this survey, please credit “Survey by IKUSA Inc.”

IKUSA Inc.

IKUSA Inc. is a specialist company in experiential events and training, operating under the slogan “Discover challenges, solve them through play.” Through unique activities such as sword-fighting battles and puzzle-solving games, we support solutions to social issues including team building, regional revitalization, and disaster preparedness. We implement over 100 original programs annually for corporations, local governments, commercial facilities, and educational institutions—more than 1,400 events per year. Over 3,000 organizations and more than 560,000 people have participated to date.

Mission: Create opportunities, places, and connections for everyone in the world to play Purpose: Enhance the value of play Company Name: IKUSA Inc. Founded: May 29, 2012 Tokyo HQ: 4F, Kosen Building, 3-20-21 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Osaka Office: Shin-Osaka Nishiura Building 805, 2-7-38 Nishinomiya-hara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka Nagoya Office: 6-1-8 Okute-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Tohoku Office: 302, 1-13-32 Honcho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Fukuoka Office: 1-8-26 Yoyogi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka Sapporo Office: La Chouette Hokudai 106, 8-1-11 Nishi 7-chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Executive: CEO Daiki Akasaka Business: Event business / Training business / Business party planning / Digital marketing / Facility management