Laura Burgess, Content Analyst from Capterra Australia, said, “Premature promotions are typically coupled with significant gaps in training and support and can contribute to leaving the central management funnel in the dark, overwhelmed and burnt out.”
Due to the skills gap, middle managers who are promoted internally are more prone to this challenge as they take on bigger responsibilities without the technical expertise required for the role. With the lack of training and support, navigating the decision to promote internally must be done carefully. The new leadership role can make or break the employee experience, result in burnout and compromise their performance in the company due to limited managerial training and support.
Experiencing burnout in the workplace
Middle managers handle multiple responsibilities, including managing their direct reports, accomplishing their own assigned work, and, at the same time, reporting to the more senior team members. Over time, middle managers may feel stressed and overwhelmed at work, leading to burnout, as expressed by 73% who have had this experience.
Middle managers' roles tend to be less noticed since they work behind the scenes. However, the responsibilities they carry impact them. Of those who have experienced burnout, 13% always feel it, while 60% said they do so sometimes. However, using effective training programs for middle managers can reduce the negative impact of workplace burnout.
Proper training and implementation
An adequate amount of training for all management roles is crucial for employees not to feel stressed or overwhelmed. Many middle managers (80%) have rarely or never received managerial training after being hired or promoted. Furthermore, 55% have not experienced mentorship from their colleagues, including other managers or senior leaders. This position is overlooked in the workplace, forcing middle managers to figure things out independently.
According to the report, middle managers have expressed interest in receiving training on specific topics, including conflict resolution (43%), delegation (41%), communication (30%), time management (29%) and project management (28%). Honing their skills based on these aspects can help them manage their role effectively.
Given the importance of training, it is worth exploring which skills middle managers find most valuable. Middle managers are looking to switch jobs in the near future, indicating burnout, career progression and work-life balance as the main factors in their decision.
“The middle manager role can experience a lack of training, hence why many feel stressed and overwhelmed. With regular training and AI solutions, there can be a more harmonious environment in the workplace, especially for employees in their position,” says Burgess.
Affordances provided by technology
As essential as training is for managers, other means, such as technology, offer helpful ways to manage their role. With this in mind, 77% have a positive attitude towards artificial intelligence (AI). 22% agreed that AI solutions are impactful in helping them become better managers, and another 20% believe that tools and technology can help automate their workload.
For further information, please visit capterra.com.au.
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