在飛機(jī)上坐在兩位陌生人之間、被卷入一場(chǎng)激烈的爭(zhēng)論、或者夾在比自己年紀(jì)大和年紀(jì)小的兄弟姐妹中間——這些窘迫的情況表明:中間位置并非總是黃金地帶。沒(méi)必要問(wèn)馬爾柯姆在五個(gè)孩子中排在中間是否有趣,你可以直接問(wèn)問(wèn)你的經(jīng)理處于“夾心層”的位置是什么感受。
過(guò)去一年對(duì)白領(lǐng)人群來(lái)說(shuō)是一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)(或者說(shuō)是一個(gè)臨界點(diǎn)),充斥著裁員的通知和重返辦公室辦公的要求,其中受影響最大的人群就是中層管理人員。根據(jù)Glassdoor的2024年職場(chǎng)趨勢(shì)報(bào)告,作為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層中的第二梯隊(duì),精疲力竭的中層管理人員是目前對(duì)工作狀況最不滿(mǎn)意的一群人。
通過(guò)Glassdoor的工作與生活平衡評(píng)分可以看出,中層管理人員在2023年承受的壓力變得非常明顯。雖然該報(bào)告中初級(jí)和高級(jí)員工的評(píng)分結(jié)果一致,但在大企業(yè)工作的中層管理人員,給出的評(píng)分卻出現(xiàn)了“顯著下降“。
Glassdoor首席經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家亞倫·特拉薩斯告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,出現(xiàn)這種情況的部分原因是幾年前黃金時(shí)代的逐漸消逝。他表示,“在2023年,企業(yè)試圖使組織結(jié)構(gòu)扁平化,技術(shù)、金融、消費(fèi)品和醫(yī)療保健領(lǐng)域都紛紛宣布了大規(guī)模裁員計(jì)劃,中層管理人員成為主要裁員目標(biāo)。”其中,Meta公司裁減管理人員作為其“效率年“的一部分,英特爾(Intel)則削減了管理人員的薪酬。
這一切都發(fā)生在疫情時(shí)代管理職位大繁榮之后。特拉薩斯稱(chēng)此次繁榮是“2021年和2022年勞動(dòng)力市場(chǎng)緊張的結(jié)果,當(dāng)時(shí)企業(yè)試圖通過(guò)升職而非原職加薪來(lái)獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)向上發(fā)展的員工“。
確實(shí),當(dāng)時(shí)出現(xiàn)了大批“被意外提拔的經(jīng)理”或者領(lǐng)導(dǎo),他們?cè)谏毲皼](méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)充分培訓(xùn)。根據(jù)英國(guó)特許管理協(xié)會(huì)(The Chartered Management Institute)對(duì)4,500名普通員工和經(jīng)理進(jìn)行的調(diào)查顯示,82%的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)屬于這一群體。與認(rèn)為自己的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)可以勝任的員工相比,那些認(rèn)為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)不能勝任的員工對(duì)工作的滿(mǎn)意度更低,而且他們感覺(jué)沒(méi)有更好地受到重視和激勵(lì)。上級(jí)管理者和員工之間的關(guān)系依舊高度緊張、員工對(duì)未來(lái)工作形態(tài)存在爭(zhēng)論,這可能使這些管理人員更加不知所措。
中層管理人員正處在離職邊緣
難怪中層管理人員(無(wú)論是否屬于意外升職)感到極大壓力。中層管理人員從來(lái)都不是一個(gè)令人羨慕的職位。和更高職位的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)相比,他們要面對(duì)較低的薪水,處理更復(fù)雜的人際沖突,他們常常與其他員工關(guān)系疏遠(yuǎn)。而重返辦公室辦公的要求使這個(gè)中間職位變得更加不穩(wěn)定,中層管理人員努力自上而下執(zhí)行這些政策,使直屬領(lǐng)導(dǎo)滿(mǎn)意。根據(jù)2022年蓋洛普公司(Gallup)的調(diào)查結(jié)果,在混合工作模式下,中層管理人員與公司脫節(jié)的感受最為強(qiáng)烈,因?yàn)樗麄兊墓ぷ餍枰O(jiān)督和滿(mǎn)足多個(gè)個(gè)體的需求。
他們可能也夾在兩股力量中間——高管對(duì)監(jiān)督員工產(chǎn)出的過(guò)分關(guān)注和員工對(duì)靈活性下降和工資停滯的失望。特拉薩斯解釋道:“到2023年中,中層管理人員開(kāi)始明顯感受到來(lái)自上下兩方的壓力,高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)要求提高員工生產(chǎn)力,而一線員工則越來(lái)越感到工作超負(fù)荷。“
雖然中層管理人員通常負(fù)責(zé)設(shè)定預(yù)期和支持型文化,可能被吹捧為解決員工過(guò)勞問(wèn)題的關(guān)鍵,但許多中層管理人員感到已經(jīng)無(wú)力承受。根據(jù)2023年初由UKG的勞動(dòng)力研究所(Workforce Institute)對(duì)3,400人進(jìn)行的一項(xiàng)全球調(diào)查,近一半(46%)的中層管理人員表示,由于壓力太大,他們可能會(huì)在一年內(nèi)辭職。
Glassdoor警告稱(chēng),這場(chǎng)加劇的危機(jī)在未來(lái)一年內(nèi)似乎并不會(huì)出現(xiàn)逆轉(zhuǎn),對(duì)雇主而言會(huì)構(gòu)成“風(fēng)險(xiǎn)”。
特拉薩斯表示:“在許多公司,優(yōu)秀的中層管理人員發(fā)揮著至關(guān)重要的作用,他們理解高層對(duì)企業(yè)的愿景并將其轉(zhuǎn)化為實(shí)際行動(dòng),同時(shí)在組織之間傳遞關(guān)鍵的反饋信息。在2024年,公司高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)需要集中精力解決中層管理人員面臨的這些新壓力,否則他們可能會(huì)選擇離職。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:郝秀
審校:汪皓
在飛機(jī)上坐在兩位陌生人之間、被卷入一場(chǎng)激烈的爭(zhēng)論、或者夾在比自己年紀(jì)大和年紀(jì)小的兄弟姐妹中間——這些窘迫的情況表明:中間位置并非總是黃金地帶。沒(méi)必要問(wèn)馬爾柯姆在五個(gè)孩子中排在中間是否有趣,你可以直接問(wèn)問(wèn)你的經(jīng)理處于“夾心層”的位置是什么感受。
過(guò)去一年對(duì)白領(lǐng)人群來(lái)說(shuō)是一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)(或者說(shuō)是一個(gè)臨界點(diǎn)),充斥著裁員的通知和重返辦公室辦公的要求,其中受影響最大的人群就是中層管理人員。根據(jù)Glassdoor的2024年職場(chǎng)趨勢(shì)報(bào)告,作為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層中的第二梯隊(duì),精疲力竭的中層管理人員是目前對(duì)工作狀況最不滿(mǎn)意的一群人。
通過(guò)Glassdoor的工作與生活平衡評(píng)分可以看出,中層管理人員在2023年承受的壓力變得非常明顯。雖然該報(bào)告中初級(jí)和高級(jí)員工的評(píng)分結(jié)果一致,但在大企業(yè)工作的中層管理人員,給出的評(píng)分卻出現(xiàn)了“顯著下降“。
Glassdoor首席經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家亞倫·特拉薩斯告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,出現(xiàn)這種情況的部分原因是幾年前黃金時(shí)代的逐漸消逝。他表示,“在2023年,企業(yè)試圖使組織結(jié)構(gòu)扁平化,技術(shù)、金融、消費(fèi)品和醫(yī)療保健領(lǐng)域都紛紛宣布了大規(guī)模裁員計(jì)劃,中層管理人員成為主要裁員目標(biāo)。”其中,Meta公司裁減管理人員作為其“效率年“的一部分,英特爾(Intel)則削減了管理人員的薪酬。
這一切都發(fā)生在疫情時(shí)代管理職位大繁榮之后。特拉薩斯稱(chēng)此次繁榮是“2021年和2022年勞動(dòng)力市場(chǎng)緊張的結(jié)果,當(dāng)時(shí)企業(yè)試圖通過(guò)升職而非原職加薪來(lái)獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)向上發(fā)展的員工“。
確實(shí),當(dāng)時(shí)出現(xiàn)了大批“被意外提拔的經(jīng)理”或者領(lǐng)導(dǎo),他們?cè)谏毲皼](méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)充分培訓(xùn)。根據(jù)英國(guó)特許管理協(xié)會(huì)(The Chartered Management Institute)對(duì)4,500名普通員工和經(jīng)理進(jìn)行的調(diào)查顯示,82%的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)屬于這一群體。與認(rèn)為自己的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)可以勝任的員工相比,那些認(rèn)為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)不能勝任的員工對(duì)工作的滿(mǎn)意度更低,而且他們感覺(jué)沒(méi)有更好地受到重視和激勵(lì)。上級(jí)管理者和員工之間的關(guān)系依舊高度緊張、員工對(duì)未來(lái)工作形態(tài)存在爭(zhēng)論,這可能使這些管理人員更加不知所措。
中層管理人員正處在離職邊緣
難怪中層管理人員(無(wú)論是否屬于意外升職)感到極大壓力。中層管理人員從來(lái)都不是一個(gè)令人羨慕的職位。和更高職位的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)相比,他們要面對(duì)較低的薪水,處理更復(fù)雜的人際沖突,他們常常與其他員工關(guān)系疏遠(yuǎn)。而重返辦公室辦公的要求使這個(gè)中間職位變得更加不穩(wěn)定,中層管理人員努力自上而下執(zhí)行這些政策,使直屬領(lǐng)導(dǎo)滿(mǎn)意。根據(jù)2022年蓋洛普公司(Gallup)的調(diào)查結(jié)果,在混合工作模式下,中層管理人員與公司脫節(jié)的感受最為強(qiáng)烈,因?yàn)樗麄兊墓ぷ餍枰O(jiān)督和滿(mǎn)足多個(gè)個(gè)體的需求。
他們可能也夾在兩股力量中間——高管對(duì)監(jiān)督員工產(chǎn)出的過(guò)分關(guān)注和員工對(duì)靈活性下降和工資停滯的失望。特拉薩斯解釋道:“到2023年中,中層管理人員開(kāi)始明顯感受到來(lái)自上下兩方的壓力,高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)要求提高員工生產(chǎn)力,而一線員工則越來(lái)越感到工作超負(fù)荷。“
雖然中層管理人員通常負(fù)責(zé)設(shè)定預(yù)期和支持型文化,可能被吹捧為解決員工過(guò)勞問(wèn)題的關(guān)鍵,但許多中層管理人員感到已經(jīng)無(wú)力承受。根據(jù)2023年初由UKG的勞動(dòng)力研究所(Workforce Institute)對(duì)3,400人進(jìn)行的一項(xiàng)全球調(diào)查,近一半(46%)的中層管理人員表示,由于壓力太大,他們可能會(huì)在一年內(nèi)辭職。
Glassdoor警告稱(chēng),這場(chǎng)加劇的危機(jī)在未來(lái)一年內(nèi)似乎并不會(huì)出現(xiàn)逆轉(zhuǎn),對(duì)雇主而言會(huì)構(gòu)成“風(fēng)險(xiǎn)”。
特拉薩斯表示:“在許多公司,優(yōu)秀的中層管理人員發(fā)揮著至關(guān)重要的作用,他們理解高層對(duì)企業(yè)的愿景并將其轉(zhuǎn)化為實(shí)際行動(dòng),同時(shí)在組織之間傳遞關(guān)鍵的反饋信息。在2024年,公司高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)需要集中精力解決中層管理人員面臨的這些新壓力,否則他們可能會(huì)選擇離職。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:郝秀
審校:汪皓
Whether squashed between two strangers on an airplane, roped into an argument, or sandwiched between your older and younger siblings, being in the middle isn’t always considered prime real estate. There’s no need to ask Malcom if it’s any fun—you can just ask your manager.
The past year was a turning (and at times tipping) point in the white-collar workforce, which was rife with layoffs and return-to-office mandates. At the center of it all: the middle manager. The burned out second rung of leadership is the least satisfied with their job right now, according to Glassdoor’s 2024 Workplace Trends report.
The strain that 2023 placed on middle management becomes starkly evident when looking at Glassdoor’s work-life balance ratings. While junior and senior employees reported consistent results, there was a “sharp drop” when it came to middle managers working for larger employers.
Part of it is a swing-back from a golden era a couple years ago, Glassdoor chief economist Aaron Terrazas tells Fortune. “Middle management was targeted in a wide range of layoff announcements in 2023, as companies sought to flatten their org structure—in tech, in finance, in consumer goods, and in healthcare,” he says. Consider Meta’s culling off the layers of managers as part of its “Year of Efficiency” or Intel slashing managers’ pay.
It’s all happening in the shadow of a pandemic-era boom of management roles that Terrazas says was a “result of the tight labor market of 2021 and 2022, as companies sought to reward upwardly mobile employees with promotions in lieu of within-role raises.”
Indeed, there’s been a rise of “accidental managers” or bosses who were promoted without adequate training—82% of bosses fall into this group, per a U.K. survey of 4,500 workers and managers conducted by The Chartered Management Institute. Workers who think their manager is ineffective reported lower satisfaction in their job as well as lowers feelings of being valued and motivated than those who thought their bosses were competent. That could leave these managers floundering even more as tensions remain high between upper-level management and employees who are debating what the future of work should look like.
Middle managers are at the precipice of leaving
No wonder middle managers (accidental or not) feel incredibly stressed out. Being the middle manager has never had a great rep; dealing with lower pay and more interpersonal conflicts than higher-ups, they’re often isolated from the rest of the staff. And return-to-office mandates have made this middle ground all the more shaky, as they struggle to implement such policies from the top and keep their direct reports happy. Middle managers in hybrid workforces feel the most disconnected from their company since they’re tasked with monitoring and catering to multiple individual needs, per a 2022 Gallup survey.
They might also be caught in the middle of executives’ fixation with monitoring employee output and a disenchanted workforce still reeling from their waning flexibility and stagnant wages. “By mid-2023, middle managers were clearly starting to feel the heat—both from above as senior leaders sought to increase worker productivity and from below as frontline employees increasingly felt overextended,” Terrazas explains.
While middle managers might be touted as the key to solving burnout among their workers since they’re the ones often in charge of setting expectations and a supportive culture, many of them feel they’re at the end of their rope themselves. Nearly half (46%) of middle managers reported that they were likely to quit within the year due to stress, according to a global survey of 3,400 people from the Workforce Institute at UKG conducted in early 2023.
Glassdoor warns that the sharpening crisis doesn’t seem to be reversing in the coming year, which it deems a “risk” for employers.
“At many companies, good middle managers play a vital role: Taking high level corporate vision and translating it into tangible actions while channeling critical feedback across organizations,” says Terrazas. “In 2024, senior business leaders will need to focus on addressing these new stresses on middle managers—or risk losing them.”