Employers urged to develop, support pressured middle managers

Organisations should invest in manager development and support after new findings revealed that middle managers are struggling to cope with increased pressure, according to a new whitepaper. 

The paper, released by Reward Gateway and Edenred, urged employers to offer managers resources to ensure they can manage their own well-being and lead by example. 

According to the paper, these resources may include access to an Employee Assistance Programme, mental health support, as well as coaching or training. 

"Provide targeted training programmes to equip managers with skills to handle difficult conversations, manage remote teams, share concerns, and seek support from their superiors," the paper added. 

Major pressure on managers

The advice came as the whitepaper found that middle managers are under high levels of stress, overwhelm, and burnout due to performance pressure. 

_{Source: The Engagement Paradox Report}

Female middle managers were found to be more vulnerable to this pressure, as they are more stressed (60%) and burnt out (63%) than their male counterparts (51%, 52%). 

"This is… possibly due to gender inequity challenges in the workplace or greater household or caring responsibilities," the report read. 

Middle managers who live outside of capital cities (53%) are also more likely to say that they feel on their own due to increased pressure than those who live in capital cities (40%). 

According to the paper, developing processes and tools that enable clear and consistent communication flows from executive leaders to middle managers and their teams will also ensure that company goals, values, and successes are visible across the organisation. 

Read more about the challenges brought about by performance pressure and the current state of employee engagement in this free whitepaper.