Middle managers expected to support teams but many feel disconnected themselves

Middle managers are expected to keep employees engaged, communicate organisational decisions and connect teams with senior leadership, but research suggests many are struggling with their own sense of connection at work.

A study involving more than 1,000 UK employees found 43 per cent of managers said they generally enjoyed their role but did not feel connected to their organisation’s values and purpose, compared with 31 per cent of workers overall.

The findings from The Chameleon Agency highlight a potential gap in how organisations approach manager wellbeing and capability.

Managers increasingly sit between the expectations of senior leaders and the needs of employees, particularly during periods of organisational change or uncertainty. They may be expected to explain decisions, maintain engagement and support employees through workplace pressures while managing their own workload and relationship with the organisation.

Yet the research suggests they are not necessarily receiving the communication and support they need to fulfil that role. Almost one in five managers, 19 per cent, said company communications did not feel relevant to them or their role, compared with 12 per cent of employees overall.

Managers were also the seniority group most likely to report dissatisfaction with communication from their own line manager. Some 16 per cent were unhappy with how their manager communicated with them, compared with 11 per cent of UK workers overall.

Almost a quarter, 24 per cent, also said leaders did not clearly explain the reasoning behind major decisions, compared with 16 per cent of employees overall.

Managers can play an important role in how employees experience workload, change, flexibility, workplace relationships and wellbeing support. If managers themselves feel disconnected from organisational decisions or unclear about their purpose, their ability to provide that connection for others may become more difficult.

Joe Gilliver, founder and executive producer at The Chameleon Agency, said: “Managers are often treated as the bridge between leadership and employees, but this research suggests many of them are standing on shaky ground themselves.

“They are expected to explain decisions, reinforce values, answer questions and keep people motivated, but too often they’re not getting the clarity, context or connection they need to do that well. That creates a real risk for organisations. If managers don’t feel bought into the bigger picture, it becomes much harder for them to help their teams feel bought in.”

The research also found a disconnect between organisational values and managers’ experience of them in practice.

One in six managers, 16 per cent, did not agree that their organisation’s stated values were reflected in what actually happened within the business, compared with 10 per cent of workers overall.

That disconnect could also have implications for retention. A third of managers, 33 per cent, said they were actively looking for another role or would consider leaving for one that aligned more closely with their values, compared with 26 per cent of workers overall.

The findings come as the role of line managers within workplace health and wellbeing continues to expand. Managers are frequently expected to identify when employees may be struggling, signpost wellbeing support, manage absence and adjustments and create psychologically supportive teams, alongside delivering their operational responsibilities.

That makes the wellbeing and support of managers themselves an important part of an organisation’s wider workforce health strategy.

Gilliver added: “The manager role has become one of the most important communication roles in any organisation, but managers cannot simply be handed a message and expected to cascade it. They need to understand the ‘why’, believe in what they are communicating and feel confident having proper conversations with their teams. For HR and internal comms teams, the opportunity is to stop treating managers as a distribution channel and start treating them as a critical audience in their own right.”

The Chameleon Agency said employers should reconsider how they communicate with and support managers, particularly during periods of change, growth or uncertainty.

The research was conducted by Sensu Insight on behalf of The Chameleon Agency in April 2026 among 1,014 UK workers across different sectors, organisation sizes, seniority levels and working arrangements. The findings are based on employees’ self-reported sentiment.