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Leaders need to support managers so they feel confident in their jobs, according to Alight’s latest Mindset survey.


By Rob Austin
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There’s no denying the importance of managers. Not only do they ensure alignment between organizational goals and the day-to-day activities of the employees under their supervision, they also serve as a conduit between senior leadership and frontline workers. However, many leaders need to support managers — as they struggle to balance pressures from senior leadership with the expectations of their people.

According to Alight’s 2024 International Workforce and Wellbeing Mindset Study, nearly two-thirds (64%) believe they are good people managers, but just over half (56%) actually enjoy managing people. Interestingly, 41% say they are a people manager only because it is required at their job level, while one-third (34%) say managing people is the worst part of their job.

In part, managers could be feeling uncomfortable with the people-managing aspect of their jobs because they don’t feel wholly connected to the organization’s mission and values. Their directors, vice-presidents and executive officers are failing to pass down the important aspects of company culture. Just two-thirds of middle managers say they feel connected to the purpose of their company, compared to 81% of senior managers.  

Communication also seems to be a contentious topic for middle managers and supervisors. Senior managers consistently say that employer-provided communications about pay, benefits and wellbeing are effective and relevant. In fact, almost 70% say the amount of communication they receive is overwhelming. However, only 21% of individual contributors feel there is too much communication. This gap helps explain why just over half (56%) of middle managers say their leaders do a good job communicating with workers.


Fortunately, there are several ways employers and their leadership can help managers feel more comfortable and confident in their jobs:

  1. Provide more training. Nearly half of all managers say they wish they had more training to be a better people manager.
  2. Don’t be afraid of overcommunicating. Managers and individual contributors alike are far less likely than senior management to say the amount of communication they receive is overwhelming.
  3. Create a one-stop place for all benefits and HR topics. Less than two-thirds of middle managers and individual contributors know where to go to find information about benefits. Sites and apps like Alight Worklife® can provide workers with the front door to all their benefits and wellbeing information.

Managers play a crucial role in driving the success of their organizations. However, they are sorely in need of support from their leadership to feel confident performing their duties. By adopting a more hands-on approach to giving managers what they need to succeed in their role, employers can build their confidence and ensure they provide stellar leadership to their teams.

Rob Austin
Rob Austin
By Rob Austin

Rob is a Fellow the Society of Actuaries and began work in 1998 as a pension actuary and retirement consultant. In his role at Alight, Rob examines participant behavior across the healthcare and retirement landscape. He is considered a leading expert on retirement issues and often discusses them in the media.

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