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managing in the middle
"you're not the boss of me now!" 🎸🎶
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Happy Thursday HR friends!👋
In today’s edition we’re pondering how we can level up the middle managers in our organisations?🧠
Before we jump in: If driving impactful L&D is a key part of your role, you'll want to see this. 👀
Our friends at Hone are launching Hone AI, their new AI for workplace learning, next Wednesday, May 14th and you can be one of the first to see it in action by registering for their webinar. More information below. 👇
PS. 5 points to any readers who got the Malcolm in the Middle reference in the title. You’re our kind of people!
Have a great rest of the week team, and we’ll have more HR inspiration for your inbox on Tuesday!
In Today’s Edition
👔 Managing the Managers
🛋️ The Break Room: Is Your Leadership Training Working?
📚 Human Readsources: EU mandates pay transparency by 2026, Employee burnout rises significantly, affecting satisfaction, Merit pay increases lower than expected.
Better middle managers = better teams = better companies
Did you know that organizations with strong middle management development programs are 8.8 times more likely to have high-quality leadership in place when needed? Yet despite this, only 5% of companies have implemented comprehensive leadership training at all levels.😱
The difference between a thriving company and one that's merely surviving often comes down to the effectiveness of middle managers. And with 94% (we have lots of stats in today's newsletter don't we?) of employees stating they'd remain loyal to companies that invest in their development, the business case for leadership training has never been clearer. Hopefully today's read sparks some ideas on "levelling up leadership" in your company!
Presented by
Hone just dropped the most game-changing innovation in L&D: Hone AI — the first voice-first AI learning experience that fuses live coaching, personalized training, and real-world simulations.
Get an exclusive sneak peek during the virtual launch event on May 14 at 10 AM PT
What to expect:
Strategies from HR teams already using AI to drive performance
Fresh insights from the latest research on AI in HR
A live first look at Hone AI — you’ve never seen upskilling like this before
Be among the first to see:
AI-Led Training grounded in I/O psychology and research-backed frameworks
AI Practice that lets learners roleplay tough conversations in real time
AI Coach to reinforce leadership skills when it matters most
This is your chance to see what’s next in talent development — and get ahead of the curve.
👔 Managing the Managers (Pretty meta right?)
Middle managers are the make-or-break force behind employee experience and team performance. They're the ones translating your grand company vision into daily reality, and if they're struggling, everyone's struggling.
With employee engagement levels dipping, it's time to zero in on equipping these crucial players with the tools they need.
The good news is: investing in management development isn't just feel-good fluff. Research shows that 94% of employees would stay longer at companies that invest in their learning and development.
So your talent team will thank you! Plus, when managers get proper training in both hard and soft skills, teams report lower burnout rates and higher productivity.Win-win!
Ready to level up your management game? Start with the "three C's": Constructive conflict management, Consideration for team wellbeing, and Closure on projects and decisions.
Ready to put some new initiatives in place? Then read on.
🔗 Relevant links
👀 TLDR
When middle managers thrive, everyone thrives. Focus on the three C's (Constructive conflict, Consideration, and Closure), plus regular check-ins that balance performance with EQ.
⚡ Takeaway and Try
- 🗣️ Launch a "Leadership Skills Pulse Check" where you conduct 15-minute one-on-one sessions with each manager monthly. Create a structured feedback form focusing on skill gaps, compile trending needs, and develop targeted training modules based on the most common responses. Track manager participation rates and pre/post training competency assessments to measure effectiveness.
- 👥 Establish a "Peer Learning Circle" program where managers meet bi-weekly to share challenges and solutions around common skill gaps. Rotate leadership of sessions, document best practices, and create an internal knowledge base. Measure success through participant engagement rates, skill application surveys, and reduction in reported skill gap areas.
- 📚 Implement a "Quick Skills Library" digital platform where managers can access bite-sized training content specifically addressing their identified needs. Include video tutorials, templates, and real-world scenarios. Track usage patterns, completion rates, and practical application through quarterly feedback surveys.
- 🎯 Create a "Skills Development Roadmap" for each management level, based on aggregated feedback from your listening sessions. Design progressive learning paths with clear milestones and practical assignments. Monitor progress through completion rates, promotion readiness scores, and regular skill assessments.
- 📊 Deploy a quarterly "Training Impact Dashboard" that measures both immediate feedback (satisfaction, relevance) and long-term outcomes (skill application, team performance improvements). Use this data to refine training content and delivery methods. Track ROI through reduced turnover rates, improved team performance metrics, and manager confidence scores.
☕ The Break Room: What's Your Take?
📊 What's your organization's current approach to developing middle managers? |
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📚 Human Readsources
🏢 EU Pay Transparency Law Forces Business Changes by 2026 (HR Magazine) - this will force businesses to disclose salary information.
⚖️ Employee Burnout Hits Record High in 2025 (HR Dive) - Employee burnout mentions surge 32%, linked to lower satisfaction ratings.
📊 US Salary Increases Drop Below Expected Levels in 2025 (HR Dive) - Merit raises decline in 2025 as labor market softens.
Thanks for reading to the end and we hope today’s edition sparked some new ideas for your workplace! 🧠
We know you’re super busy and really appreciate you letting us into your inbox a few times a week. 😀
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