Like a Boss

It’s hard out there for the middle manager. 

You’re under constant pressure from the top to deliver results. Meanwhile, you’re juggling the expectations of junior staff, putting out fires, and steering the day-to-day operations that keep the ship afloat. It’s a lot to ask of people — and it can sometimes feel like a thankless job, especially these past couple of years. 

Data backs this up. In a survey conducted last year by Slack, a record 43 percent of mid-level managers said they were burned out, and about half wanted to quit within the year. To get a better sense of what’s happening to middle management, we checked in with Alison Green.

Unlike most of the folks we’ve featured in this newsletter, Green isn’t the traditional consultant; she doesn’t have an MBA and isn’t part of the C-Suite. But she does have a unique view into office culture. For the past 16 years, she’s run the popular Ask a Manager blog, and in that time she’s read thousands of emails from workers seeking advice. The questions run the gamut, from the ridiculous (“a coworker stole my spicy food, got sick, and is blaming me”) to the deeply relatable (“employee wants a month off during our busy period”). And Green never fails to offer practical tips — no matter how bizarre the situation. 

Below, we’ll share the advice columnist’s take on why managers seem to be under more pressure than ever — and what they can do about it. Plus, we’ve turned to workplace strategist Erica Keswin for her view on why middle managers should be treated like MVPs, and the innovative ways some companies are lifting them up.

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Pro Tips

One reason why managers are feeling the heat right now is because of remote work, Green says. It’s simply harder to keep tabs on your team, make sure they’re hitting their benchmarks, and build a sense of camaraderie when you’re not all sitting in the same room, drinking the same watery office coffee. But it’s been more than three years since we all discovered Zoom’s cat filter, and bosses are still struggling to “strike the right balance between checking in enough without feeling like you’re micromanaging,” she says. 

Here are the other challenges she’s hearing about in the WFH era, the most common gripes employees have about their bosses, and more.

Unsung Heroes

It’s not just Green who thinks middle managers need more support; Erica Keswin dives into this issue in her new book, The Retention Revolution, with this advice for everyone in a corner office: “Managers are really having a moment, and you should do everything you can to help them lead others and themselves well.” Check out this excerpt from her book that’s all about the plight of the mid-level manager and why organizations need to be doing all they can to help them shine.

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