It’s time to check on your middle managers

Middle managers. As the name suggests, middle managers are the middle women or men connecting senior leadership and the teams they manage; an essential go-between who are often overlooked. 

They have an important, yet often sometimes undervalued role to play in the workplace, responsible for everything from team engagement and morale to implementing new strategies and monitoring KPIs. So, what makes middle managers so valuable and why should organisations invest more in supporting this crucial group?

A valuable link 

HR consultant Michelle Ryan describes middle managers as “indispensable”, noting that they are the critical link between senior leadership, the front line, and their customers or consumers.

“Unlike other leadership levels who are often focused on longer-term strategies, middle managers are able to operate both at a strategic and an operational capacity,” she says. 

“It’s normally their responsibility to turn strategic plans into practical plans. They’ll develop their teams to understand broader organisational goals and manage the success of goals that have been set, too,” explains Michelle, who is also an IMAGE Business Club coach. 

Middle managers don’t only enhance an organisation’s strategic development; they can improve communication as well. In companies where the “big bosses” feel out of reach, middle managers can serve as a vital link between leaders and employees. 

“Middle managers will carry the organisation’s culture and are vital in sharing insights into performance, employees or consumer behaviour back up to leadership,” Michelle explains. 

The ripple effect 

Research is starting to show that middle managers aren’t just a “nice to have”. Commercially, they offer a clear benefit.  Take a recent McKinsey report that showed companies with top-performing managers yield multiple times the total shareholder returns of those with average or below-average managers over a period of five years.

Other studies have found that middle managers’ roles in planning, organising and implementing decisions have directly influenced productivity gains, enhancing productivity by as much as 30%. 

Michelle supports the research. “When an organisation values their middle managers and recognises their efforts, it can transform not only the manager’s engagement but that of the team,” she surmises. “This motivation level can have a ripple effect. Team morale will increase and thus performance will improve as a result. 

Given their impact on morale, it might not come as a surprise that middle managers play a key role in employee retention. “If a middle manager is highly engaged and can recognise engagement levels within their team, this is hugely beneficial for an organisation,” Michelle notes. 

“Having an engaged manager is critical to not only set the standard of behaviours in the organisation through their own approach but also managing and measuring their team’s engagement levels too.” 

When middle managers are effective, Michelle says there will be lower turnover rates due to a happier working environment and higher levels of trust and support. 

Pulled in different directions 

Acknowledging the many challenges middle managers face makes their value all the clearer. Michelle notes that the breadth of expectations placed on middle managers is huge. “Middle managers often feel that they are being pulled in all directions daily,” she points out.  

“They can be responsible for people, performance, culture, product, budget, quality, health and safety, and customer service. They can feel very overburdened and at times undervalued and this can lead to burnout.” 

Think about it: middle managers often navigate a delicate balance between the needs and expectations of senior leadership and the needs and expectations of their teams.  Michelle concurs. “Leadership can at times be seen to set unrealistic challenges for middle management and often the goalposts can be moved on targets without consultation,” she says. 

On top of that, there are the inevitable difficulties that come with managing a team or teams. They may not have adequate resources or be up against absenteeism. 

“Managing a team with varied levels of contribution, differing expectations of work,  or from different generations can be very challenging too,” Michelle adds. 

Valuing middle management 

One thing’s clear: middle managers play an important and often undervalued role. They are the go-betweens between senior management and their teams, and how well they perform in their roles will impact company morale, communication, and productivity. 

So, how can organisations effectively support middle managers and cultivate developing leadership skills?

For Michelle, investing in their people management skills is a good place to start. She points out that quite regularly middle managers have had no prior experience in managing a team and this is a huge part of their role. One way to do this is to pair middle managers with seasoned leaders who can guide them through the complexities of managing a team. Management coaching is another great way to recognise the value of middle managers and tease out their leadership skills. 

“Often this is something only offered at senior level,” Michelle notes. 

“However, coaching for this management group can be hugely beneficial as it supports middle managers with decision-making, self-awareness, overcoming self-doubt, managing uncertainty and developing big-picture thinking.” 

While training is crucial, ultimately it is creating a positive workplace environment that will enable middle managers to thrive.  Michelle says middle managers need to feel safe and supported. “They need to be able to make decisions regarding their departments and teams with confidence,” she notes. 

“This gives them a sense of being a stakeholder and a part of the organisation’s successes.” 

Innovation and creativity might not be the first words that spring to mind when you think of middle managers, but Michelle says an innovative and creative environment is where they’ll thrive. “Encourage cross-functional learning for middle managers with other teams, involve them in developing the company strategy, and recognise and reward innovation amongst this group,” she advises. 

On reflection, middle managers might not be stuck in the middle, but the glue holding everything together.