Article: Is middle management just a “thankless slog”? Written by CMI Insights Wednesday 14 May 2025 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email A Financial Times article suggests young people see middle management as an overburdened and underpaid position. We asked the CMI community what they’d do to put this perception right… A recent article in the Financial Times (FT) said that many Gen Z employees have written off the idea of a career in middle management as “a thankless slog”. In a survey by recruiter Robert Walters, almost 70% of respondents (employees aged 27 or younger) dismissed management roles as being too stressful and bringing too little reward. Half didn’t want to be middle managers at all. The FT reached out to Ann Francke OBE CMgr CCMI, CMI’s chief executive, who highlighted the key role that training can play in making middle management more appealing. Most managers today are “accidental” leaders, Ann said, ill-equipped to mentor, inspire or engage their teams. Read more: three reasons our relationship with work has become strained “If younger employees were more engaged, they might aspire to be managers,” she reasoned. What is an “accidental manager” and why does it matter? CMI’s report Taking responsibility – why UK plc needs better managers found that 82% of managers who enter management positions have not had any formal management and leadership training. This risks harming employees’ motivation, satisfaction and likelihood to leave their job. Find out more “Blame sponges” We were keen to hear the CMI community’s suggestions to make younger people warm to middle management. So we put it out as a LinkedIn poll, which received over 1,700 responses. The results were tight, suggesting there’s no easy solution to middle management’s image issue: 31% agreed that offering a clearer path for growth would help 30% said the key was to improve work-life balance 24% suggested offering mentorship and training 15% agreed that change would come through making the work more strategic and less admin-heavy. An interesting debate ensued in the comments. Neil MacDonald CMgr MCMI echoed Ann’s take, attributing the problem to “too many accidental managers in more senior positions with an acute lack of leadership qualities or EQ”. He also pointed out that many businesses display “toxic traits” that leave managers becoming “stick-beaten blame sponges”. Keep reading: why boundaries matter Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Log in Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
