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Based on data from over 1000 middle managers, the inaugural ‘B-Suite Benchmarks®’ report, developed by BoldHR, spotlights a critical crisis within middle management ranks.
One in three middle managers identifies burnout as their most significant challenge, while a staggering 82% feel frustrated or invisible in their roles.
Alarmingly, only 14% say their career is a primary concern, indicating a huge shift in mindset among middle managers, who are increasingly disillusioned with traditional career paths.
Rebecca Houghton, a middle management expert and founder of BoldHR®, emphasised the timeliness of these findings: “This new data arrives at a pivotal time for middle managers”.
“Organisations are trimming their middle management ranks due to economic challenges, while baby boomers are retiring at an unprecedented rate—500 experienced leaders are exiting the Australian workforce daily. At the same time, organisations are grappling with a wave of burnout and disengagement among the remaining middle managers, and younger leaders have little interest in stepping into their shoes. This confluence of factors is creating a perfect storm for both middle managers and their employers.
"We are facing a quadrilateral threat that poses an acute challenge for future leadership.
“We must focus on developing, strengthening and retaining our existing leaders, as we can’t rely solely on new managers coming through as we have in the past—the talent pipeline is insufficient to offset this loss.
“The key now is to respond strategically. For the first time, we have the data to determine what truly moves the needle when it comes to middle management.
“By profiling more than 1000 middle managers and analysing thousands of data points, we have finally defined what ‘good’ looks like, identified the obstacles, and pinpointed where we need to focus”.
The findings reveal a stark truth: only 6.5% of middle managers are operating at the gold standard, with the majority struggling to shift their focus from process-oriented tasks to strategic decision-making and influence.
The report also highlights four competencies that are vital in predicting the impact of middle managers: the ability to cope with pressure and remain resilient, the capacity to motivate and inspire action, the skill to manage up and influence power dynamics, and the willingness to manage their reputation.
The data also reveals a paradox: while organisations seek more impact from middle managers, they fail to empower them adequately.
“Burnout occurs when managers and leaders strive for high impact—taking on emotional stress, personal responsibility, and complex decision-making—without the empowerment that comes from more senior positions,” Houghton explains.
“The B-Suite Benchmarks clearly show that burnout happens because we are asking for more impact without vesting more power”.
Ironically, those tasked with resolving workplace burnout—C-Suite and HR leaders—experience the lowest levels of burnout themselves, meaning the solution to the burnout pandemic may rest in the wrong hands.
Houghton concludes, “The stakes have never been higher. There is so much the benchmarks can tell us about the current state of middle management and where to go from here. By leveraging these benchmarks, organisations can future-proof themselves against the crisis facing their experienced leaders.”
The Visibility Project
[email protected]
Amy Springhall
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