Middle Managers Matter: Why Investing in Your Line Managers is Critical to Effective Employee Relations
Line managers face significant challenges in managing dispersed, diverse and hybrid teams, all while juggling their own workload. Many organisations have overlooked the development needs of middle managers. This oversight has the potential to negatively impact employee retention, brand reputation and overall organisational success. So, which areas of support demand urgent attention? Which groups pose the greatest risk and what are the hidden consequences of overlooking this cohort?
Download our latest whitepaper to uncover the answers and invaluable national insights.
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Submit your details and download your copy instantly.
Download the report
Submit your details and download your copy instantly.
Hundreds of HR professionals and line managers surveyed
Our comprehensive research, conducted among hundreds of HR professionals and line managers in medium to enterprise-sized organisations, sheds light on the key people challenges faced by line managers. Moreover, it explores the shared line manager capability concerns expressed by both HR professionals and line managers themselves. In this report, we delve into the fascinating findings uncovered through our research, such as the correlation between age demographics and the confidence to engage in difficult conversations with employees and provide support during challenging life events.
In our report you’ll discover:
- How HR’s level of confidence in middle managers varied greatly across different topic areas
- Practical insights on how to better support middle managers, including upskilling on important topics such as neurodiversity, fertility and gender identity
- The most vulnerable cohort of middle management
- The consequences of under-investing in these crucial roles and the impact on HR and the wider organisation
- Expert insights on the implications of our findings for the modern workplace
- Recommendations on where organisations should focus their attention based on the issues identified
28%
of line managers lack confidence in managing a redundancy process.
43%
of HR managers said that they don’t have an allocated budget for upskilling line managers on managing employee relations issues.
30%
of HR professionals lack confidence in their line managers’ ability to have sensitive discussions around menopause and fertility with their team members.
33%
of Chief People Officers reported that their organisations haven’t provided gender identity training for their line managers.
Download the report
Submit your details and download your copy instantly.
Explore our services
Looking to upskill your people managers?
The esphr team and our colleagues in the WorkNest group, offer an array of people management training courses including, Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Managing Difficult Conversations and Diversity and Inclusion, to bespoke sessions tailored exactly to your people needs.