The challenges of middle management: between management and employees

What is middle management?

Middle management, or middle management, refers to the hierarchical level responsible for making the link between the company’s employees and the executive management. He translates strategic orientations into operational actions and reports the realities on the ground to decision-makers.

The middle manager thus plays the role of intermediary: he or she must ensure that the company’s main strategic orientations are transmitted and properly applied to the company’s employees. This position as a transmission belt makes it a player on which the coherence between strategic vision and daily execution directly depends.

Middle management can thus bring together local management, managers of managers (or top managers), project managers and other team leaders.

This middle management is mainly present in vertical organizations with a well-defined hierarchy. In a society that applies a horizontal or participative management mode , middle management will however be less present — without disappearing, because the need for coordination persists regardless of the structure.

Middle managers can thus be integrated into all the company’s departments: human resources manager, digital project manager, office manager, department director, supply chain manager, etc.

Increasing pressure on middle managers

Since the widespread use of hybrid work and the acceleration of organizational transformations, middle management has been going through a period of unprecedented tension. Several recent studies quantify this phenomenon.

According to a Gartner study published in 2024, 75% of HR leaders consider that managers are overwhelmed by the continuous expansion of their responsibilities (Gartner, Manager Effectiveness). The observation is clear: middle managers are asked to manage performance, support the well-being of teams, manage change, and master digital tools — all with resources that are often the same, or even reduced.

McKinsey, in its State of Organizations 2025 report, points out that middle managers spend on average nearly half of their time on administrative tasks rather than supporting their teams (McKinsey, State of Organizations). This imbalance feeds a vicious circle: less time for leadership, less employee engagement, more turnover.

The problem? This pressure is not limited to the workload. It also affects the very legitimacy of the role. Caught between top-down directives and rising expectations, many middle managers struggle to find their place. Some find themselves applying decisions that they did not help to shape, while having to defend them to teams that are increasingly demanding about the meaning of their work.

What is the role of the middle manager?

The middle manager is a keystone to the smooth running of any company. In charge of team management, he is responsible for the proper application of strategic decisions and operational performance.

Middle management has a variety of missions and responsibilities depending on the sector of activity and the position held:

• Set clear objectives, aligned with management decisions;
• Ensure employee productivity and operational efficiency ;
• To improve and evaluate individual and collective performance;
• Ensure the well-being, commitment and motivation of employees;
• Oversee and manage the workflow of the teams;
• Train and ensure the development of employees’ skills;
• Carry out regular reporting to management;
• Supervise, lead and manage a team on a daily basis;
• Allocate the material and financial resources necessary to achieve objectives and project management;
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between departments.

A role that evolves into influential leadership

The role of middle manager is no longer just about supervision. According to the Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends 2025 report, successful organizations are redefining this role around three axes: individual coaching, collective facilitation and the ability to drive change (Deloitte, Human Capital Trends). The middle manager becomes an influential leader, capable of federating without relying solely on hierarchical authority.

This evolution requires new skills. Mastery of artificial intelligence tools applied to management, the ability to manage hybrid or distributed teams, and the ability to navigate ambiguous environments are now among the expectations of the position.

What are the challenges of middle management?

Responsible for employee performance and productivity, middle management actors respond to a number of major challenges within the company. Bearers of the company’s vision, they are responsible for acting on behalf of line managers and defending the interests of multiple stakeholders (management, employees, customers, etc.).

In particular, middle managers must ensure that:

• Share the company’s culture and values and convey the company’s vision;
• Supporting change in times of transformation, managing resistance to change and ensuring team buy-in;
• Ensuring the quality of life at work of employees;
• Demonstrate exemplarity in management style ;
• Ensure team cohesion and encourage collective intelligence;
• Participate in issues related to the organization of work, particularly in a hybrid context;
• Ensure customer satisfaction;
• Establish close and transparent communication at all levels of the company ;
• Integrate AI and automation tools into daily managerial practices.

The challenge of retaining middle managers

A phenomenon that was still poorly documented a few years ago is now gaining momentum: the difficulty of retaining middle managers. According to BCG (Creating People Advantage 2025), middle manager disengagement is one of the five most monitored HR risks by large European companies (BCG, Creating People Advantage). Many middle managers are considering leaving their management positions to return to individual expertise — a move sometimes referred to as “managerial quiet resignation.”

Let’s be clear: losing an experienced middle manager means losing much more than a hierarchical link. It means losing the operational memory of a team, the relationships of trust built with employees, and the ability to execute the strategy on a daily basis.

Concrete solutions to strengthen middle management

In the face of these tensions, the organizations that are doing well are those that actively invest in supporting their middle managers. Here are the most effective levers identified by practitioners and recent studies.

Redefining the scope of responsibilities

Too many middle managers inherit responsibilities by accumulation, without anyone questioning the coherence of the whole. A regular audit of the managerial perimeter — what is leadership, what is administrative, what can be delegated or automated — allows the role to be refocused on its real added value: human support and operational decision-making.

Investing in Continuing Leadership Education

Promotion to the position of manager is not enough to make a leader. Successful organizations set up specific development paths: individual coaching, peer-to-peer mentoring programs, hybrid management and emotional intelligence training. These investments directly translate into better retention and stronger commitment of the teams supervised.

Reducing the administrative burden

Automating HR reporting, planning, and tracking tasks frees up time for what really matters. Generative AI tools applied to management — meeting summaries, interview preparation, team data analysis — represent a concrete lever to give middle managers a new lease of life.

Create spaces for dialogue with management

The middle manager cannot carry the strategy if he does not understand it, or if he cannot question it. Regular dialogue rituals between management and middle management — beyond simple top-down reporting — reinforce the legitimacy of the role and the quality of decision-making at all levels.

Using interim management for critical phases

In the event of reorganizations, rapid growth or prolonged vacancy of a key position, interim management offers an immediate operational response. An experienced interim manager can stabilize a team, structure processes and prepare for succession — without the delays of traditional recruitment. To learn more about this approach, check out the W Guide — Moving Forward with Interim Management, which details when this solution provides the most value.

The qualities of the successful middle manager

A true catalyst for company performance , middle management remains an asset within an organization and a solid link between two hierarchical levels, employees and management.

To meet these major challenges and succeed in fulfilling this intermediary function, the middle manager must have a certain interpersonal skills, with several essential qualities :

• Strong interpersonal skills, capable of working both face-to-face and remotely;
• Emotional intelligence, to decode weak signals within teams;
• A strong sense of organization and prioritization;
• Active listening, including in the face of disagreements;
• Empathy, without complacency;
• Leadership — the ability to get on board rather than impose;
• Agility in the face of strategic changes of course;
• Composure in tense situations;
• Excellent conflict and hierarchical pressure management;
• Mastery of digital tools and curiosity about new managerial technologies.

But make no mistake: these individual qualities are not enough if the organization does not create the conditions for the middle manager to exercise them. Managerial talent develops in an environment that supports it, not in a system that stifles it.

Frequently asked questions about middle management

What is middle management?

Middle management refers to the hierarchical level between executive management and operational teams. Middle managers ensure the translation of strategic orientations into concrete actions, while reporting the realities on the ground to decision-makers.

Why do we talk about a crisis in middle management?

Since the spread of hybrid work, middle managers have been under increased pressure: administrative overload, contradictory expectations between management and employees, and lack of recognition. According to Gartner, 75% of HR leaders believe that managers are overburdened by the expansion of their responsibilities. This tension is causing a growing disengagement and difficulties in retaining these positions.

How to strengthen middle management in your organization?

There are several levers that can support middle managers: clearly redefining their scope of responsibility, investing in leadership training, reducing the administrative burden through automation, and establishing spaces for regular dialogue with management. The use of interim management can also provide rapid operational support during critical phases.

What is the difference between middle management and top management?

Top management defines the company’s vision and strategic orientations. Middle management, on the other hand, translates these orientations into operational action plans and steers their implementation with the teams. The middle manager acts as a two-way relay between management and employees.

Is middle management threatened by horizontal organizations?

Horizontal organizations reduce the number of hierarchical levels, but do not eliminate the need for coordination. The role of the middle manager then evolves towards that of facilitator, coach and influential leader rather than traditional line supervisor. The function is transformed, but does not disappear.