Is the role of the middle manager disappearing?

According to a report from Live Data Technologies, some recent layoffs have been focused on eliminating unnecessary management layers. For example, job cuts specifically for middle managers accounted for 30% of all layoffs in 2023, up from 20% in 2018.

What’s driving the move? In part, it could be a theory that modern teams tend to operate better in a more self-directed manner—also known as “unbossing.”

While the term may conjure images of employees firing their manager—and some organizations have leaned into unbossing to drive layoffs and reduce costs—the emerging catchphrase centers on rethinking the relationship between employees and their managers for today’s world of work. To capture the potential of unbossing, experts say, leaders should focus on redefining the role of the middle manager as someone who truly helps the people they supervise, rather than being an obstacle to success.

Weighing the consequences of the unbossing trend

Coming out of the pandemic, employees are placing an increasing value on flexibility and autonomy over how they do their jobs, especially after employers were forced into offering flexible and remote work arrangements. That shift is reshaping what employees expect from management, and leaders are taking notice.

David Satterwhite, CEO of Chronus, an employee-driven development platform that focuses on mentoring and employee resource group management software, says many employers are making economic decisions to lay off managers to cut costs and reduce inefficiencies. But this can be counterproductive.

“While it might flatten the organization, remove poor managers and empower some employees with a new sense of ownership, it doesn’t mean better managerial leadership or reinforce connections between leadership and junior employees,” he explains. “This potentially myopic approach could leave some companies vulnerable to the consequences of  a ‘get rid of people and see what happens mindset.’ ”

According to Satterwhite, while the short-term benefits can be a financial boost and leaner structures, laying off middle managers for the sake of unbossing could come at a much steeper price down the line. For instance, it could increase the workload on other managers or overburden junior employees.

In the long term, eliminating the middle management level can disrupt employee development and may create a sense of mistrust among the workforce, he says.

“Those people who are usually a touchpoint for employee development are no longer there,” he says. “You better make sure you have other avenues for development to fill that void. Otherwise, companies risk having people being without it, or even worse, searching somewhere else for development opportunities.”

The modern role of middle managers

There are ways, Satterwhite says, for leadership to acknowledge employees’ growing drive for empowerment while still embracing the value middle managers can bring to an organization.

“Middle managers play a vital role in nurturing employee growth,” he says. “They provide mentorship and coaching to junior staff and help establish connections across different departments and levels—fueling engagement and career growth opportunities.”

That’s particularly important, he says, given that many employers are in the midst of a “disengagement crisis,” with employee wellbeing at an all-time low. Unchecked, this trend can erode motivation and productivity, he says.

However, middle managers can serve as a bridge between senior leadership and junior employees, seeing the perspectives of both—as well as the bigger picture, Satterwhite says.

Mid-level managers can identify specific areas in which employees need more support to drive engagement and productivity. They also offer consistent and constructive feedback, enabling employees to recognize their progress and identify areas for improvement.

Leadership can take advantage of middle managers in the age of unbossing through formal reverse mentorship programs.

“Reverse mentoring allows both junior staff and middle management to learn more about and from each other,” Satterwhite says, noting that middle managers are often prime for these programs as they tend to be adept at absorbing new ideas, generational trends and fresh perspectives from junior teammates. Moreover, he says, creating psychologically safe spaces for reverse mentorship gives employees a floor to provide feedback, advice and transparent input about their employer—satisfying their need for autonomy.

For its part, Chronus looks to build middle manager effectiveness by enabling clients to “foster, develop and quantify growth of said manager effectiveness.” For example, Amazon launched Manager Circles through the Chronus platform to help new and first-time people managers onboard to their new leadership role by learning from both peer managers and existing managers.

“The Amazon group mentoring program provides the support needed to develop the foundational skills to be a manager at Amazon, also making sure they have the organizational knowledge to be successful,” Satterwhite says.