Middle managers worldwide share a lack of satisfaction with their current organisation and describe their companies as mismanaged, the findings of a global study have revealed.
The survey of more than 1,400 middle managers in nine countries in North America, Europe and Asia found that, on average, just four in 10 respondents said they were “extremely” or “very” satisfied with working at their current employer. One in five said they were specifically dissatisfied with their company.
When asked to describe their organisations, the largest share (30%) of all respondents selected “mismanaged” this was consistent across all the countries surveyed.
One-quarter of respondents said they were looking for a job elsewhere. Of these, 25% said their primary motivation was lack of prospects for advancement at their current jobs, the study by consultancy Accenture found.
When asked to indicate the most frustrating aspects of their jobs, the greatest number of respondents (44%) chose insufficient pay. About the same number said they felt as if they were doing all the work but not getting credit for it.
More than one-third (35%) reported they were frustrated by trying to balance work and personal time, and the same number said they were frustrated at having no clear career path.
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Peter Cheese, managing director of Accenture’s human performance practice, said: “For the most part, middle managers care deeply about the future of their organisations and their roles in that future, but they are, to a certain extent, the ‘frozen’ middle.
“Low levels of engagement in such a critical segment of the workforce will affect performance and achievement of strategic goals.”
