The "crucial role" middle managers play has been lauded, after a survey revealed that they are the group who feels most disengaged, Fresh Business Thinking reports.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development's (CIPD) latest Employee Outlook survey, middle managers are the group most likely to feel the pressures of the current economic downturn.
Nearly half of middle manager respondents said that they were put under excessive stress at least twice a week, if not everyday, compared with 37 per cent of others surveyed.
Additionally, dissatisfaction with work/life balance was highlighted, with 66 per cent of middle managers unhappy, compared against 30 per cent of non-managerial staff.
They were also the group most likely to be looking for alternative employment, with 29 per cent fearing they could lose their job. Consequently, the CIPD is urging CEOs not to forget the valuable contribution middle managers make to any business.
Steps that could be taken to demonstrate this might include introducing flexible working to alleviate presenteeism or leadership development, providing an investment into future career progression.
"Middle managers are often caught in the middle between delivering strategic objectives and managing under-pressure line managers," said the CIPD's Ben Willmot, head of public policy to The Grapevine Magazine.
"They can also be first in line when organisations look to reduce head count. While middle management will undoubtedly bear its share of job losses in organisations needing to reduce head count, it is also important to remember the crucial role these managers play in managing change, translating the objectives of senior managers into actions and motivating others."
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