Ugh...Middle Managers or Meddling Managers?

Definitely, workplaces are all composed of diverse categories of players (employees), and then there are layers of work wherein all enacting their own roles. It’s not necessary that everyone has the same amount of work, but, keeping in mind the etiquettes of work atmosphere, everyone has to be productive and punctual.

Well, for the sake of simplicity, let’s slice a workplace with three layers…senior management, middle management and general employees. I presume that everywhere senior managers have their own perks, procedures and pronouncements. Who’s going to meddle in their affairs? And, at the extreme, general employees are always prompt, as if they are soaked in discipline, obedience and tolerance. Always, like dumb cattle, they slog and remain silent.

Now, let’s gauge middle managers, who like hanging pendulums swing betwixt two different scenarios…sometimes resemble cordial supervisors to their subordinates, but oftentimes, they’re shrewd sycophants towards their seniors. 

Ugh…middle managers or meddling managers? Instead of becoming exemplar by their roles, they create typical scenarios at workplaces where they ‘arrive late and leave early’.

No way, it means that middle management is all corrupt. But, it’s certain that this is the phase where most senior employees become deceptive and sluggish. And to cover up their account of errors, they oft find leeway for lies or flatter their superiors to get excused.

Let me narrate this truth: One employee, working in a company since last ten years, is meek, hardworking and persevering. His immediate boss, at a managerial level, with high credentials, is soft spoken, gentle and honest. But, the saddest stance is that he is totally reckless to recommend the CEO for salary raise for this poor chap.

It’s almost a decade…and the employee is stuck, with same pay structure. On one side, this manager goes extremes, with cost-cutting strategies, to save pennies and prove his smartness and honesty in front of senior management. And, on the other side, he bluntly refuses humble requests of that underprivileged employee. Yea…his legitimate plea for increase in salary, after a decade of loyal service, remains unanswered.

And now, the timid manager says, “Well, situations aren’t favorable, and I am afraid there might be downsizing of staff because of grim financial conditions”.

Funny, isn’t that? This middle manager, like a little lord, with varying attitudes behaves differently, comes to work at his own ease, and leaves the workplace on time. Who’s going to report to CEO, with frank boldness? 

Nah, employees of lower stratum oft feel scary to complaint anything for fear of risking their jobs. That's their timidity, but they are helpless!

Perhaps, it’s the duty of the CEO to check now-and-then the company affairs to realize the preferred culture because if employees aren’t protected and appreciated, then the culture stinks, with derailed team-spirit and injustice.