New meaning to ‘squeezed middle’

UK middle managers are feeling the squeeze as a result of the economic downturn, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) quarterly Employee Outlook survey of 2,000 employees.

Almost half (49%) of middle managers say they are under excessive pressure either everyday or once or twice a week, compared to a survey average of 37%. They are particularly unhappy with their work-life balance; just 44% agree they are satisfied with their work-life balance, compared to 70% among employees with no managerial responsibilities.

In addition, middle managers worry most about their job security. One in three (29%) think it is likely they could be made redundant as a result of the economic downturn, compared to 21% of employees with no managerial responsibility and 15% of senior managers.

Perhaps not surprisingly given these findings, middle managers are the category of employees that are most likely to be looking for a new job with a different employer, with 29% looking to move organisations compared to a survey average of 21%.