The concept of "unbossing," which promotes self-directed teams, has led to a significant increase in layoffs of middle managers, rising to 30% of all job cuts in 2023 from 20% in 2018, according to Live Data Technologies. Chronus CEO David Satterwhite cautions that this approach can disrupt employee development and increase workloads and instead recommends redefining middle managers' roles to focus on mentorship and suggests reverse mentorship programs.
Improve employee learning and development by matching training to each employee's goals, including learning in the daily workflow and using automated platforms, writes Jotform CEO Aytekin Tank. "On a more granular level, guided learning tools can empower employees to upskill according to their schedules and objectives with minimal outside assistance," Tank writes.
Frank Rodriguez, superintendent of the Beaufort County School District in South Carolina, moved new-teacher salaries in the county from 53rd place in the state to first through championing local bond referendums and redistributing internal funds after reviewing categories that were not providing a return on investment. In this interview, Rodriguez also discusses the district's choice to focus ESSER funding on helping students learn faster.
A recent trend of employees faking work by occasionally moving the mouse shows a deeper problem of a lack of employee engagement and purpose, writes leadership speaker Julie Winkle Giulioni, but leaders can improve engagement by deepening connections with employees and fostering respect. Winkle Guilioni also advises helping employees understand the purpose of their work, removing roadblocks and promoting development opportunities.
When we hear the words, "Once upon a time ...," we mentally prepare for a tale from a distant time -- maybe even a magical place -- which is the power of the phrase, and experts say it originated around 1225 with similar phrases found in Finnish and Afrikaans. Not all fairy tales start that way, though, with children in Korea hearing "When tigers used to smoke" and those in Poland hearing "Beyond seven mountains, beyond seven forests."
The post-pandemic landscape has many employers experimenting with ideas and strategies to cut financial flab and make their organizations run more efficiently. That’s fair and it makes sense.
But cutting out middle managers seems an okole-backwards way of achieving this. Our top story today talks about “unbossing” a new trend that involves removing middle managers and setting up teams to operate in a self-directed manner.
Chronus CEO David Satterwhite advises caution to companies considering this approach. The short-term benefits of financial gain and leaner personnel structure could have a negative impact over the long term, in particular with increased workloads, disrupted culture and stunted employee growth. He recommends organizations redefine the roles of the middle managers and place them in positions of development and mentoring.
“Middle managers play a vital role in nurturing employee growth. They provide mentorship and coaching to junior staff and help establish connections across different departments and levels -- fueling engagement and career growth opportunities,” Satterwhite says.
As more organizations rethink their structures, adjusting the role of middle management might be a step in the right direction. These folks can provide important support that will have a direct impact on revenue streams and company growth.
What do you think? Is your organization considering “unbossing”? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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