Don't Flatten Your Managers—Fix Your Leadership

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, global employee engagement isn't just low; it's falling. Gallup’s annual State of the Global Workplace report shows it dropped to 21 percent last year from 23 percent the year before. This marks only the second decline in the 15 years Gallup has tracked this data.

But here’s the real story: the drop was most pronounced among managers.

Only 27 percent of managers reported feeling engaged in 2024—a 3-point drop. Younger and female managers saw some of the biggest declines. So, why the crisis in the middle?

At the very moment managers are facing challenges, high-profile CEOs are publicly questioning their value. Andy Jassy at Amazon wants to cut middle managers to boost innovation. Mark Zuckerberg at Meta is “flattening” the org chart. The message from the top seems clear: we’re not sure we need you.

Meanwhile, the message to the top should be even clearer: look at what you’ve handed them.

Managers are now grappling with a relentless focus on efficiency, the chaotic integration of AI, restructurings that have increased their workloads, and the immense complexity of leading hybrid teams. Research from Gartner shows that by 2024, the average manager oversaw nearly three times as many people as they did in 2017.

The executive mantra has effectively become: “We want to get rid of you, but in the meantime, please do more with less and get even better results.”

Hmm. Can anyone really wonder why they feel disheartened?

So, what’s the solution? What if executives went the other way and made a deliberate, positive effort to engage middle management?

You could get a detailed strategy from any AI platform in under a minute. The recommendations would be obvious: focus on better communication/purpose and values, recognition, support, development, inclusion, and empowerment.

It’s NOT hard. But it does require intention.

Simply “flattening” the structure without a thoughtful plan for how work actually gets done isn't innovative leadership—it’s lazy executive leadership. If mid-managers are causing bottlenecks and waste, the problem is almost always with the systems, goals, and expectations set at the top, not the people in the middle.

Execs: Don’t blame a bloated middle. Don't crush their souls and sense of worth. Help them become valued for the profound impact they have.

Earn that big performance bonus by leading the middle better.

Thank Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

Garrett’s View: Unless you’re running an organization with more than 50,000 employees (like Meta’s 75k+, or Amazon’s 156k+ corporate roles), stop looking for (and publishing, for that matter) leadership advice from people like Jassy and Zuckerberg. You’re just on absolutely different planets, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Most leaders can be more connected and have more of a direct impact on the way middle managers are engaged, utilized and valued. Lead from where you are.

- Garrett

AI Response:This data is indeed alarming, especially when considering that Gallup finds managers account for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement, and companies with highly engaged managers experience 59% less turnover. The pressure is compounded by Gartner's findings that 75% of managers now feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities, often spanning an average of 10 direct reports. This isn't just a support crisis; it's a critical business risk, as disengaged managers directly erode the productivity and retention of their teams, making your proposed strategy for empowerment not just beneficial but essential for organizational survival.

Don't Flatten Your Managers—Fix Your Leadership

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