The secret to a successful workplace: Middle managers

• Middle managers have a vital job in the workplace.
• However, some companies have scaled back on middle management.
• Workplace experts shared why middle managers can be essential to a business's success.

US businesses are betting that they can thrive with fewer middle managers. They could come to regret it.

Some business leaders think that scaling back middle-manager roles — a trend called the "Great Flattening" — could help them cut costs and operate more efficiently. However, managers and workplace experts told Business Insider that middle managers play several important roles, including executing the goals of upper management, addressing workplace issues, and boosting workers' morale and performance.

"They really do form the connection between the company's strategy and execution by workers on the front lines of the business," Daniel Zhao, the lead economist at Glassdoor, said. "Without an effective layer of middle management, you aren't going to get strategy translating into results."

BI's Aki Ito reported that some companies have realized that employing fewer middle managers can significantly strain their operations. Workplace experts and managers described to BI what makes middle managers important, why companies should invest in training them, and the challenges of these roles.

Why workplace experts think middle managers are valuable

Bryan Hancock, a McKinsey partner who has written about management, said middle managers are critical for an organization's overall performance. Hancock also emphasized their role in employees' performance and well-being, including helping workers grow in their careers.

"Managers are critical in making individuals feel like they belong, feel understood, and connecting all of that messiness of our personal life to our work life," Hancock said.

Middle managers can be a key part of building up the entire workforce. "Companies have to invest in the skillset and the development of these managers in order to avoid certain pitfalls that can ultimately impact revenue generation and career development and growth," Jessica Hardeman, senior director of attraction and engagement at career site Indeed, said, adding "heightened emotional maturity," digital fluency, and adaptability are attributes of a good manager.

While Zhao, Hardeman, and Hancock think managers are critical to a workplace, the job market for middle managers has cooled down.

An analysis of job postings provided to Business Insider by Revelio Labs, a workforce analytics provider, found opportunities for middle manager roles had declined by 42% between April 2022 and October 2024. Opportunities for junior employees, associate workers, and senior leadership roles fell by 15%, 17%, and 25%, respectively.

With fewer opportunities in middle management and a likely cooler job market in 2025, middle-manager job seekers are competing for other roles.

"Career setbacks have created a traffic jam at the bottom of the ladder, with middle managers now competing in the same pool of jobs as frontline managers and experienced employees in the same pool as new grads," a Glassdoor report published in November said.

In addition to the cooler demand for middle managers, the job has become more challenging in recent years. As BI previously reported, managers may have had to handle more work because of fewer hires, tried to get people to comply with return-to-office policies, and be the bearers of unfortunate compensation and career mobility news due to scalebacks in pay bumps and promotions.

Workplace experts told BI that managers should receive adequate training to help make their jobs a bit more manageable. Zhao said companies should invest in training the next leaders to set them up for long-running success in this step of the career ladder.

Why managers think they are valuable

Managers who talked to BI also think middle management does a lot for the workplace.

Tsvetelina Nasteva, a human resources manager for Casinoreviews.net, said the idea that middle managers just deal with the "day-to-day stuff" upper management doesn't have time for oversimplifies what they do.

"Our jobs are so much bigger than that," said Nasteva, who's in her 30s. "We're the ones driving innovation, shaping culture, engaging talent, and providing the insights that help steer the ship."

Kyle, a former manager, said he thinks middle managers can be valuable for businesses — but they often aren't given the power and freedom to fully execute their job responsibilities.

"I think the great lie told to middle managers, at least many of them, is that they can be arbiters of change and will be free to mold their teams and processes in their own style — except then that's not how they're treated," said Kyle, who asked for partial anonymity due to fear of professional repercussions.

He said that instead, some middle managers are largely tasked with things like timesheet approvals, disciplinary conversations, and running meetings — administrative work upper management doesn't have time for.

Tiago Pita, a brand and e-commerce director based in the UK, said he decided to step into a middle management role because he wanted to shape his team's direction while still being involved in day-to-day operations. He said juggling these two priorities is what makes middle managers valuable.

"We're the ones translating high-level goals into actionable tasks, ensuring that our teams stay on track and motivated," said Pita, who's in his 30s. "Middle managers also play a big role in sustaining company culture, as we work closely with team members and address their questions, struggles, and achievements on a more personal level than upper management can."

What has your middle management experience been like? Have you quit a middle manager role or don't plan to become a manager? Reach out to these reporters at mhoff@businessinsider.com and jzinkula@businessinsider.com.