The Both& Playbook: Who Really Shapes Your Job — Your Company or Your Manager?

Finding a company who fully supports flexibility can be challenging - but turns out, it's often more complex than that. Read on for more tips from experts and guides to help your search and journey.

Hey friends,

Welcome to the first Both& Playbook! This is where we go a few layers deeper, pulling together data, expert advice, and real-life questions that are coming up over and over again inside Both& and giving them to you - our paid community!

This week’s deep dive is on a question many of you are actively wrestling with right now - as you job search, pivot careers, or even debate whether to leave your role entirely:

When it comes to flexibility, support, and staying power — does your company or your manager matter more?

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The real answer? It’s your manager.

Here’s what the data keeps telling us:

• 50–75% of people leave because of their manager, not their job. (Gallup)

• 82% of workers say they’d consider quitting due to a bad boss. (Goodhire)

• 70% of the variance in engagement is directly tied to the manager. (Gallup)

• AND - In my own Both& community poll, 67% said their manager was the #1 factor that impacted their ability to balance caregiving and career. (Under 3% said company!)

And when you zoom out even further - this ties directly into why so many working parents feel stuck.

Because policies may exist on paper, but whether or not you feel safe using them depends on your…. manager.

But what is the real impact - and how do you find that perfect manager?