In today’s volatile work environment, many companies are starting to lay off employees, including — or maybe even especially — middle managers, because company leaders mistakenly believe managers are expendable. But if a middle manager’s role has not been reduced to one of simple administration, and if the person is effective in their work (not someone who was promoted without regard for whether management was their personal goal or whether their skill set was suited to the job), middle managers are vital to the smooth functioning of any company.
Middle managers are a vital link between the C-suite and frontline workers. They are responsible for helping those who report to them understand their job responsibilities; become trained in evolving policies, procedures and technology; and acquire the soft skills they need to be successful.
In addition, middle managers have the insight to quickly identify potential problems and suggest possible solutions. Whether the issue is a bottleneck in the production process or supply chain, the implementation of a new process, or a personnel problem, the company relies on middle managers for solutions.
Consider the issues
There are three areas where companies are failing to recognize the value of middle managers in our current business environment:
- Managing operations. A middle manager’s job focuses not on strategic but on operational planning — that is, making sure everything is running smoothly. Since the pandemic, that role has been expanded to include more hands-on interaction with teams. This might mean training people on new soft skills while also monitoring them for burnout, and meeting deadlines for new reporting requirements.
- Managing change. Conducting business “the way we’ve always done it” is no longer possible. These days, thanks in part to hybrid work and AI, the pace of change is fast, with repercussions for processes and procedures in all areas of the business. Managers respond to these changes effectively and adroitly.
- Managing people. With an increasing number of people working remotely on days set at the employee’s discretion, managers know how to motivate a team to act as a team while also supporting individuals who are not necessarily at the office regularly. Managers also know how to support growth in employees’ skill sets.
Company leaders should recognize the valuable role of middle managers and find meaningful ways to reward them.