Managers Experiencing More Negativity Than Staff Members: Importance of This Observation
Managers - the unsung heroes of the corporate world - are the backbone of any organization. But recent studies show that the weight of their responsibilities is taking a toll on their mental health and well-being. Gallup's latest research reveals that managers are less engaged than ever before and struggle more than their employees. It's not just a mental health issue; it's a leadership pipeline crisis in slow motion.
The pressure cooker that is middle management is filled to the brim with administrative tasks and unrealistic expectations. Today's managers are expected to be culture carriers, performance drivers, emotional shock absorbers, all while hitting targets they didn't set and with resources they don't control.
This disengagement isn't contained within the limiting boundaries of the manager's job title; it spreads like wildfire, eroding culture, suppressing performance, and stifling innovation. The manager is the message, and if they're emotionally underwater, the signal gets distorted.
Artificial Intelligence: Savior or Overhyped Fad?
In today's tech-driven world, the solution to alleviating the burden on managers seems to be artificial intelligence (AI). AI could free up managers' valuable time by managing schedules, budgets, updates, and reports. But can it compensate for the empathy, coaching, and human touch that managers provide?
An Oracle study on AI and the future of work suggests that while robots outperform managers in operational tasks, they still lag behind when it comes to empathy, coaching, and shaping culture. It's not a skills issue; it's a matter of what truly matters.
But there's a chilling revelation from the study – 64 percent of people would trust a robot more than their manager, and half have already turned to a robot for advice instead of their manager. We've set our managers up to fail, and in doing so, we've diminished the trust that employees place in their human leaders.
As AI continues to absorb more operational tasks, the differentiators for human managers will shift from data-crunching to emotional intelligence. It won't be about who can collect and analyze more data; it will be about who can hold a better conversation, build trust, read the room, and have the courage to engage in difficult dialogue.
Time for a Paradigm Shift: A New Approach to Manager Development
Traditional leadership development often feels like a luxury brand, reserved for the privileged few. In stark contrast, manager development is mass-produced, with standard modules and generic content that rarely resonates with the realities of the job.
But as the pressure on managers continues to mount, the old approach simply isn't enough. To ensure sustainable performance, we need a tailored and individualized approach to manager development, one that's expansive rather than extractive and deeply aligned with a manager's emotional, cognitive, and professional state.
1. Tailor Support according to Career Stage
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work when it comes to managers. Career stage and emotional load play critical roles in a manager's ability to thrive.
- First-Time Managers: New managers face numerous challenges, from identity shifts to emotional inexperience. They require mentors, not just manuals, and safe spaces to navigate doubt, conflict, and pressure to perform.
- Mid-Career Managers: Mid-career managers often hit a plateau, feeling competent but disconnected and unsure of what's next. This is the perfect time for career re-contracting, a process focused on renegotiating goals, meaning, and growth.
- Senior Managers: These leaders often operate in quiet isolation, having survived the system. They need peer renewal, honest reflection, and non-performative spaces to think aloud.
2. Integrate Learning into Real Life
If 41% of employees say they don't have time to learn, then it's time to reevaluate the learning experience and prioritize its integration into daily workflows. AI can help reclaim time by clearing inboxes, summarizing meetings, and automating workflows, but it isn't growth unless it's intentionally reallocated.
Organizations must shift learning from an extra to an embedded element of the job, making it a natural part of the workday instead of an added burden.
- Weekly Peer Learning Labs: Collaborative sessions focused on real-world challenges, encouraging managers to apply their strengths to lead differently.
- Team-Based Microlearning: Short simulations, scenario debates, or coaching pods that help managers stretch their thinking and sharpen their skills in context.
- Job-Relevant Tools: Providing managers with actionable strategies, strengths-based guidance, and clear next steps to help them grow professionally.
3. Normalize Emotional Check-Ins
Burnout is emotional, and engaging managers is relational. To combat burnout, organizations must create a culture that normalizes emotional check-ins, fostering open and honest conversations about the challenges managers face.
- Training Managers to Notice Overload: Encourage leaders to recognize the signs of emotional exhaustion, empathize with their team members, and provide the necessary support to help them manage stress effectively.
- Regular Check-ins: Frequent, compassionate, and non-judgmental conversations about emotional well-being can help managers feel seen, heard, and supported.
- Models from the Top: Senior leaders who share their own struggles and vulnerabilities foster an environment in which employees feel comfortable opening up about their own challenges.
4. Upskill Managers in Key Areas
Managers need gold-standard skills to engage their team effectively and mitigate burnout. Focus on equipping them with the tools they need to navigate complex scenarios and foster a positive work environment.
- Sensemaking in the Fog: Helping managers and their teams interpret uncertainty, prioritize tasks, make decisions, and adapt to change.
- Feedback with Friction: Delivering difficult but constructive feedback that fosters growth and development, rather than demotivating or damaging team morale.
- Conflict as a Design Tool: Exploring strategies to turn disagreement into a positive force that drives innovation, enhances team performance, and cultivates a culture of open communication.
5. Redefine What Success Looks Like
To truly support managers, organizations must adopt a holistic view of success, focusing on vitality, trust, and readiness rather than just productivity.
- Vitality: Encourage managers to prioritize self-care, replenishment, and well-being to maintain optimal performance and avoid burnout.
- Trust and Psychological Safety: Foster an environment in which employees feel safe sharing their ideas, vocalizing their concerns, and taking appropriate risks without fear of reprisal.
- Readiness for Future Roles: Ensure managers have the skills, resources, and support they need to expand their horizons and prepare for future leadership opportunities within the organization.
The Bottom Line
Managers are the glue that holds organizations together. To ensure an engaged, productive, and innovative workforce, it's crucial to invest in the ongoing development and well-being of our managers. By adopting a tailored, empathetic, and holistic approach to manager support, organizations can build a strong foundation for success.
- In the face of high stress and burnout amongst managers, businesses must consider the well-being of their managers as a crucial aspect of their success.
- The role of managers, often compared to a ticking time bomb, is essential in maintaining a vibrant organization; however, current studies show a concerning decrease in their engagement levels.
- The burden of various responsibilities, including culture carrying, performance driving, and emotional shock absorption, has led many managers to struggle more than their employees.
- This erosion of manager engagement does not only impact their personal health and well-being, but it also spreads throughout the workplace, distorting culture, suppressing performance, and stifling innovation.
- To counter this issue, science suggests a shift in approach to manager development, focusing on individualized, expansive, and empathetic training rather than standard, mass-produced modules.
- A more holistic view of success, encompassing vitality, trust, and readiness, should be adopted to ensure the professional and emotional health of managers, ultimately protecting the finance, leadership, and careers of businesses.
