It’s hard to be a manager right now. The middle rung of the corporate ladder is getting blamed for organizational inefficiency, swept up in layoffs, and is at risk for burnout.
A new report sheds some light on just how stretched this cohort really is, and the mismatch between what they believe to be their role to be, and what it actually entails.
Nearly 40% of a manager’s day is spent dealing with last minute problems or completing administrative tasks, according to new data from Deloitte, which surveyed nearly 10,000 business and HR leaders across various industries and in 93 countries. Managers only spend 15% of their time planning and strategizing for the future, and 13% helping develop the employees who work under them.
“It’s no wonder that managers are often overwhelmed, frustrated, and burned out,” the report states.
This group also feels abandoned by the organizations that they show up for every day. Around 36% feel they were not prepared for the role they took on, and the same number doesn’t think their companies are implementing tech solutions to help them, according to the report.
The good news is that around 73% of organizations say that reinventing the role of manager is important, according to the report. The bad news is that only 7% believe they’re making great progress—a yawning 66% gap.
The manager of the future has to develop and nurture talent, redesign work to optimize human performance with AI, and enable innovation and problem solving. So what can workplaces do to help make this happen?
AI assistance is a big part of it, according to the report, and can help the group with things like making decisions based on data, and have better discussions with employees about performance. But aside from this, companies can also help managers make connections within their own ranks, empower them to make decisions, think about ways to develop their judgement skills, and help them better cultivate their sphere of influence.
“[E]mbrace the opportunity to reinvent the role of the manager,” the report reads. “Chances are, they’re a vital and valuable key to your organization’s future growth and profitability.”