Imagine being asked to run a marathon, coach a team, and build the track you’re running on, all at the same time.
Sounds exhausting, right? For countless middle managers, this is not a hypothetical scenario; it is their daily reality, writes Anja van Beek, talent & culture strategist, EQ-driven leadership & HR expert and executive coach.
Middle managers are often called the backbone of organisations, keeping teams aligned and businesses moving forward. But right now, the reality is that managers are squeezed from both sides and buckle under impossible expectations.
According to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, managers are more stressed, less supported, and less engaged than ever.
In South Africa, where economic uncertainty, rapid transformation, and social complexities collide, the pressure is even more intense.
We’re quietly burning out the very people we rely on most.
The hidden toll of being the ‘glue’
Middle managers are the emotional shock absorbers in the workplace. One minute, they’re turning high-level strategy into actionable plans, the next they’re supporting a struggling team member, juggling client demands, or tackling a flood of emails.
For them, it isn’t ‘just a job’, they are trying to juggle the act of balancing performance, team wellbeing, admin, and culture-building.
Gallup’s report found that only 21% of managers globally are truly engaged at work. Their stress levels are higher than the teams they lead. Their engagement is not about indifference or lack of commitment but rather about being stretched thin, under-resourced, and emotionally drained.
I’ve seen this first-hand in my work as a leadership development coach, where managers want to show up for their teams, but they’re also running on empty.
They are managing operational goals and they’re holding space for their team’s frustrations, navigating organisational change and technology transformation, and often carrying the weight of their own uncertainties.
Emotional Intelligence is the ultimate edge
We ask managers to lead through complexity: managing targets, driving change, and keeping everyone motivated but we rarely equip them to manage their own emotional load.
That’s where emotional intelligence (EQ) comes in. EQ is the ability to pause before reacting, to listen deeply, and to lead with empathy while staying clear-headed.
It’s the ability to identify, understand and manage the impact of their own and the team’s emotions in the workplace.
Managers with strong EQ create teams that feel safe, connected, and resilient. They set boundaries without shutting people out. They also ask thoughtful questions that spark solutions.
To be clear: EQ isn’t a trait you simply possess – it is a skill that takes time and practice to build. Without intentional training, we’re setting managers up to struggle in complex workplaces.
Systems that shape managerial struggles
The pressure on managers is high. Many are stuck in outdated processes, navigating too many tools, and drowning in meetings that leave no bandwidth to truly guide and inspire their team.
In the South African context, we should add the challenges of limited budgets, hybrid work setups, and the emotional toll of navigating socio-economic realities that follow people into the workplace. This is a recipe for exhaustion.
I’ve worked with managers who feel they can’t say “no” because they don’t want to let their teams or line-managers down. They keep pushing, but over time, they start to disconnect, not with a dramatic exit, but with a quiet loss of energy and spark.
Real solutions go beyond band-aids
By handing out wellness applications or preaching “self-care” is not the solution to fix this. Structural, human-centred changes are needed – here’s where to start:
- Rethink the role – Managers aren’t superheroes. Redefine their responsibilities and cut out redundant tasks, streamline processes, and give them room to focus on leading, not just reacting.
- Train for today’s challenges – Forget generic leadership courses; one size doesn’t fit all. Equip managers with practical skills like EQ, coaching through change, and leading hybrid teams. Focus on their specific development needs and teach them how to manage their own stress so they can be fully present.
- Choose tech that actually helps – Technology should make life easier, not only adding tabs to their browser. Invest in tools that simplify administrative and reduce low-value tasks. It should not be creating more work from it.
- Lead by example – Culture starts at the top. If executives are sending emails at midnight or glorifying the “always-on” grind, managers feel the pressure to do the same. Normalise quality family time, proper rest and make after-hours communication the exception, not the rule.
- Create manager-specific support – Managers need safe spaces to be vulnerable about their struggles. Offer one-on-one coaching session, mental health resources tailored to leadership, and peer communities where they can share without the fear of judgment.
The ripple effect of supported managers
When managers are disengaged, it impacts everyone. Gallup’s research shows that managers are the single biggest factor in employee engagement.
The reality is that if they’re checked out, teams follow, and ultimately, team performance dips, turnover spikes, and the culture starts to erode.
When we get this right, the impact is transformative. Supported managers perform, they inspire and build teams that are engaged, connected, and committed to the organisation’s purpose and strategic goals.
By supporting the middle, we sustain the whole
If we want thriving organisations, we need to stop treating managers like cogs and start supporting them as humans.
Managers aren’t machines. They are people navigating immense pressure while trying to hold it all together.
Investing in managers’ resilience, proper support, and personal development creates organisations where engagement drives results. Thriving managers not only sustain but also elevate their teams.