On the Brink of a Breakdown: Why Are Mid-Level Managers on the Verge of Burnout, and What Can Be Done About It?

Experts warn that massive layoffs of managers are expected next year. The main reasons are constant stress, burnout, and a lack of support from senior management. The situation is particularly difficult for middle managers: they have to simultaneously meet the demands from above and address the needs of their subordinates. As for generations, Millennials are increasingly quitting due to stress, while Zoomers are leaving because they are unwilling to work under such conditions. This state of affairs inevitably leads to stress and burnout.

A study by meQuilibrium, a platform that provides digital coaching to improve workplace well-being, predicts a “managerial collapse” in 2025. This will be the result of years of neglecting the issues of burnout, overwork, and ineffective support systems.

Alanna Finke, head of content and training at meQuilibrium, warns that if managers’ well-being is not given due attention, they will be at risk of burnout and resignation.

What makes this forecast particularly alarming is the fact that, historically, middle managers are less likely than their teams to feel supported by senior leadership. Dissatisfaction among middle managers is dangerous because happy and motivated managers are a “key success factor” for the entire organization.

To prevent an impending “collapse,” organizational leaders must take decisive action this year to emphasize the importance of mental well-being.

A Glassdoor report states that in February of this year, confidence among mid-level managers fell to a record low. This is because “middle managers are under pressure and have to do more with fewer resources,” said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, at the time.Evidence of mass layoffs of mid-level managers is causing remaining employees to “become increasingly pessimistic about their employers’ prospects,” Zhao added.

Nearly half of the mid-level managers surveyed in 2023 as part of a UKG study said they were likely to quit within a year due to job-related stress. "We put a lot of pressure on managers and don't provide them with enough support.", — said Pat Waydor, UKG’s director of human resources, describing the recipe for exhaustion and burnout.

Providing sufficient and consistent support to middle managers—who are often overlooked—is a surprisingly effective way to prevent burnout. This is especially important for employees who perform best when they feel supported. “You can’t expect them to be leaders if they don’t feel supported and don’t feel they have someone to back them up,” said Tapasvi Chandele, Coca-Cola’s global vice president of talent, development, and systemic partnerships.

Last year, middle management positions accounted for nearly one-third of all layoffs, compared with one-fifth five years earlier. (Вспомните заявленный Марком Цукербергом «Год эффективности» для Meta, который был в основном направлен на «сокращение» уровней управления в компании.)

If these issues are not resolved in the new year, companies may face a shortage of mid-level managers. It has become difficult to hide how unattractive the mid-level management position has become, and as current managers leave, entry-level employees are increasingly reluctant to take on this role.

Nearly three-quarters of Gen Z employees would prefer to advance their careers as individual contributors rather than move up the ranks to become managers. More than a third of the respondents—who nevertheless believe they will one day become managers—admitted that they are not looking forward to it. Clearly, they have good reasons for this.

Thus, the problem of burnout among middle managers is a serious challenge for modern businesses. Company leaders must take urgent action to support their managers in order to prevent a “collapse” in 2025.