Bad boss or lack of training? Why middle management needs more support

Most workers have had a bad boss at some point in their career. But what if that bad boss wanted to be better?

According to business management consultant Perceptyx, 70% of middle managers have taken action based on employee feedback, hinting at their attempt to be good leaders. And yet, nearly 25% of employees feel they're currently working for their worst boss ever, the same number in Perceptyx's 2023 survey. Overall, the perception of middle managers is not improving, with the "worst-boss-ever" data point not even capturing the bad managers employees may have had leading up to their current one. 

While it's easier to write off bad bosses as irredeemable, Emily Killham, senior director and head of the center for workforce transformation at Perceptyx, urges employers to understand just how ill-equipped managers are to handle the increasing pressure from executives and team members. Perceptyx found that 39% of managers feel pressure from leadership increased in the last year, and 37% said pressure from direct reports spiked too. 

Read more: Gen Xers were voted the best managers among their colleagues

"Managers are feeling this pressure from the top of the organization to do more with less, to probably not backfill, due to economic circumstances," says Killham. "At the same time, employees are asking for help with their well-being, work-life balance and flexibility. There's mounting double pressure."

And yet, managers want to do better: A majority are trying to implement employee feedback, and 60% want ongoing coaching to improve their skills, according to Perceptyx. For Killham, this means managers are up for the challenge of becoming good bosses — they just may not know how. 

Over 80% of managers reported they have had formal training, but Killham notes that training and coaching are not the same thing. 

Read more: 77% of workers say AI tools have decreased their productivity

"Training means sitting down and learning a specific task — but then how do you turn around and apply it?" she says. "Coaching is hands-on. It's working with a [coach], saying I tried this and it went well or didn't go well, and learning from that."

For Killham, the right coaching helps employees learn how to manage change and relationships. Perceptyx's survey also reveals that managers who receive leadership coaching are 1.3 times more likely to be engaged in their jobs as well as say their stress levels at work are manageable. 

Read more: MasterClass's CPO says clarity and coaching are the key to high retention

"We have to reach managers in the flow of their work and provide them ideas and suggestions they try in the next five minutes," says Killham. "Rather than pulling them away for four hours and then hoping they can apply [what they learn] in the real world."

Killham asks employers to implement ongoing coaching for their managers and ensure there are feedback structures in place, not only so employees can express concerns to managers but also so managers can relay those concerns (and their own) back to higher-ups. 

"Managers want to do better, and they're asking for coaching so they can get better," says Killham. "It's an investment going forward for the entire organization."