Middle Managers: The Overlooked Link In Performance
Middle managers sit between strategy and execution. They turn boardroom goals into day-to-day actions, keep teams focused, and provide a read on what’s really happening across the organisation. And yet, they’re operating under growing strain.
Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace shows that only 27% of managers worldwide feel engaged in their jobs. The drop is sharper still for younger and female managers. The reasons are not hard to find: spans of control have increased sharply, restructures are common, hybrid working has disrupted the flow of information, and many are leading through rapid technology change without additional support.
Why This Matters
Manager engagement has a direct effect on team engagement, and by extension, on performance. When managers lose energy and focus, the impact is felt across the business.
Pressure points
Many are promoted from high-performing individual roles without preparation for leading people.
Fewer than half globally have ever had formal management training.
Hybrid and remote models reduce informal contact with both their teams and senior leaders.
Female managers, in particular, have seen flexibility reduced while other responsibilities remain.
What organisations can do now
Set clear expectations and trust them to deliver
Stay connected, check-in regularly, not just when things go wrong
Commit to them, by helping them develop, you are investing in the leaders of tomorrow
Middle managers don’t just exist to break spans of control, they’re the people who translate strategy into day-to-day action, spot problems early, and keep teams focused when things are uncertain. They influence culture, build trust, and develop the managers of tomorrow. If they’re stretched too thin or disengaged, performance suffers. But when middle managers are supported and equipped, they amplify change, speed up delivery, and unlock the potential in your organisation.
Get in touch to discover how engaging your middle managers can unlock performance across your organisation