CASE INCIDENT

MIDDLE MANAGER BURNOUT

In their article published in the Harvard Business Review, Morison, Erikson, and Dychtwald surveyed more than 7000 mid-career employees between the ages of 35 and 55.⁵² The authors report that many middle managers are burned out, dissatisfied, or believe they are in dead-end jobs; most find that their work is no longer stimulating. Feeling neglected, many are actively searching for new jobs. As a result, many organizations face a stark choice: risk losing some of their best people or continue to work with a host of unhappy managers.

Your consulting advice is requested by the company president. She is asking you to provide suggestions for combating this growing managerial apathy in her organization.

1.What do you think are some of the causes of this growing problem?

2.In order to improve the situation, what, if anything, should top management do with and/or for the middle managers, the bosses of the middle managers, and the subordinates of the middle managers?