Recently, many organizations have adopted “unbossing” — a strategy to flatten hierarchies, eliminate management layers and promote self-management. Driven by the need to cut costs and stay agile, major companies like Bayer and Meta have embraced this transition. They believe it’ll accelerate decision-making and improve efficiency.
This widespread managerial restructuring, now termed the Great Unbossing, is transforming corporate landscapes. Let’s look at the challenges this movement brings, and how you can tackle it with technology.
How Leadership Can Lessen the Burden on Their Managers
- Equip managers with the language to convey key messages to their teams.
- Invest in upskilling your managers.
- Provide mental health and overall well-being resources to all your employees.
- Encourage managers to use the latest tools, like AI copilots.
The Great Unbossing vs. Conscious Unbossing
While companies aim to streamline their management structures with unbossing, this can pose challenges, especially if the cuts go too deep. As you remove middle and upper management layers, the responsibilities of remaining managers expand — at times beyond sustainable limits. This growing leadership gap strains existing leadership and impacts employee well-being and organizational productivity.
In fact, 81 percent of upper-level managers now have more direct reports compared to last year, and 61 percent of all managers’ teams have grown, according to the latest Leapsome report. This has expanded managers’ span of control, making it more difficult for them to provide the individual guidance and support that their teams require.
As a result, leadership teams are stretched thin, with six in 10 managers admitting to feeling overwhelmed, and more than 50 percent reporting a decline in their mental well-being.
Similar to the Great Unbossing, younger generations of workers are participating in “conscious unbossing.” Gen Z professionals are reportedly refusing to step into middle manager roles for fear of high stress, and even burnout, for what they perceive to be a small payoff.
This generational shift further widens the leadership gap, as organizations face a shortage of new talent willing to fill management roles. This complicates succession planning and long-term strategy execution, as fewer employees are prepared or eager to take on these positions as others exit the workforce or move up.
How Layoffs Are Creating a Leadership Vacuum
Unbossing strategies have disproportionately affected upper-level leaders. In the past year, four in 10 companies laid off more senior managers and directors than any other job level, according to the study above. This has left the remaining middle managers to fill the leadership gap without the necessary preparation or mentorship.
Managers also become significantly more important in communicating the company’s strategy, often without being adequately prepared to do this effectively. This leads to further risks in reducing trust employees have for their managers, leaders and the company’s strategy.
As it stands, most middle managers are ill-equipped to handle the growing complexity of their expanded roles. They’re forced to balance competing demands, making it difficult to effectively execute strategy and manage larger teams. And with fewer senior leaders to mentor and guide professions from the next generations — many of whom refuse leadership roles to begin with — organizations risk drastically stalling their leadership development and their ability to execute effectively.
This leadership gap presents significant challenges for both managers and their teams. With greater responsibilities and fewer resources, managers are less able to coach and develop their teams effectively.
This is exacerbated by a lack of feedback and recognition: While 71 percent of managers believe they are offering regular constructive criticism, only 37 percent of employees agree they receive it. Similarly, 66 percent of managers feel they provide regular praise, but only 38 percent of employees feel recognized.
How to Support Managers in a Post-Unbossing World
Without proper manager attention, employees don’t understand the company’s direction and feel unsupported in their career development, leading to higher turnover. The lack of proper communication and effective decision-making by overwhelmed managers, combined with disengaged employees, creates an environment prone to poor business outcomes.
Despite the challenges, solutions exist to help organizations balance leaner structures with effective leadership. The key is empowering remaining managers through enablement and support, while addressing concerns of younger employees wary of leadership roles.
1. Improving Communication From the Executive Team
In order to set managers up for success, top leadership teams need to spend time clarifying the company’s strategy, tactics and initiatives and equip managers with the talking points to convey these key messages to their respective teams.
2. Facilitating Employee Training and Development
Invest in leadership development programs to equip managers with the tools and skills needed for larger teams, effective communication and complex roles. Offer ongoing mentorship and training to prepare managers for higher leadership without feeling overwhelmed.
3. Supporting Employee Mental Health and Well-Being
Make mental health initiatives a top priority to combat burnout from unbossing strategies. Provide mental health resources, flexible work policies and coaching to prevent burnout and support managers’ emotional resilience. This is crucial to attract and retain Gen Z talent who value work-life balance and mental health support.
4. Using Technology to Streamline Manager Duties
In the digital workplace, technology can ease the burden on managers. Innovative performance management tools that streamline feedback and AI-powered manager copilots that support managers on all practical people management questions can help managers oversee larger teams more effectively.
AI copilots, specifically, are becoming essential tools for managers navigating the challenges of leaner leadership structures and expanded responsibilities. From automating routine tasks like scheduling, to providing writing assistance for performance reviews, to granting real-time insights from surveys and reviews, these tools enable managers to focus on strategic decision-making and team development.
For example, you can integrate Microsoft Copilot into Word, Excel and Teams to help you draft emails, summarize meeting notes, write reports and give actionable insights from data.
As concerns about stress and burnout rise, companies must approach unbossing thoughtfully. Striking a balance between efficiency, leadership development and employee well-being will be crucial for maintaining productivity, engagement and long-term success. Only then can organizations navigate the complexities of this evolving leadership landscape.
