Middle management is losing its appeal among younger generations.

This is not a marginal signal, it is a structural one.

A recent study by Robert Walters reveals that nearly 60% of young employees do not want to become managers, describing these roles as “high stress, low reward.” For organisations that have long relied on middle management as the backbone of execution and people leadership, this finding raises a critical question: what is happening to the managerial model we have taken for granted for decades?

Why the reluctance?

When speaking with young professionals, several reasons come up consistently.

First, many perceive middle management as offering limited flexibility and autonomy. The role is often positioned as a relay for decisions made elsewhere, with little real room to manoeuvre. Second, recognition and meaning are frequently lacking. Managers carry responsibility for results, people, and tensions, yet feel caught between strategic expectations and operational constraints, without clear acknowledgment of their contribution.

There is also a growing rejection of managerial models that are still largely disciplinary or control-oriented. For a generation raised with access to information, collaboration, and networks, authority based on position rather than influence feels outdated. Finally, the promise of work–life balance appears fragile in these roles. Long hours, emotional load, and constant pressure make middle management look like a personal sacrifice rather than a step forward.

Taken together, these factors make the role unattractive, not because young people lack ambition, but because the cost-benefit equation no longer makes sense.

A disengagement problem, or a leadership model problem?

It would be easy to interpret this reluctance as disengagement or a lack of commitment. But doing so would miss the deeper issue. What is being questioned is not responsibility itself, but the way responsibility is framed and exercised.

Generation Z is not rejecting leadership. They are questioning leadership models that rely on control, exhaustion, and limited room for authenticity. They are looking for roles where influence, learning, and impact matter more than hierarchy.

This invites organisations to rethink how they define and value managerial work.

Rethinking the role of the manager

If middle management is to remain relevant and attractive, its role must evolve.

This starts with redefining the manager’s purpose. Rather than acting primarily as a controller of performance, the manager’s role increasingly needs to be oriented toward coaching, facilitation, and development. Creating clarity, enabling decision-making, and supporting growth are becoming more critical than enforcing rules.

At the same time, organisations need to acknowledge that not all progression should lead to people management. Creating alternative career paths (expert tracks, project leadership roles, transversal responsibilities) allows individuals to grow without forcing them into managerial positions they do not want or are not ready for.

Finally, existing managers must be supported in this transition. Expecting them to inspire, engage, and care for teams without providing training, time, or recognition only reinforces the “high stress, low reward” perception. Developing relational, emotional, and leadership skills is no longer optional; it is central to sustainable performance.

What is really at stake

The issue goes far beyond middle management itself. It directly affects an organisation’s ability to retain talent, transmit knowledge, and maintain engagement over time. When the managerial layer weakens, pressure either accumulates at the top or spills onto teams…both scenarios carry significant risks.

Reinventing middle management is therefore not about making roles more attractive on paper. It is about aligning leadership structures with the realities of today’s workforce and the expectations of future generations.

The question is no longer whether the model must change, but how quickly organisations are willing, and able, to adapt.

How can we redesign middle management roles so they become spaces of influence, growth, and meaning rather than bottlenecks of stress?