We expect a lot more from managers today than we did in the past. They’ve always been responsible for things like managing performance, delegating work, setting expectations and making sure their teams deliver results. And those responsibilities are just as important today as they’ve ever been.

But the world of work has changed considerably, and with that have come additional expectations of managers. They’re now expected to play a much bigger role in keeping people engaged and motivated, supporting their wellbeing, developing their skills, creating inclusive working environments and helping people navigate change and uncertainty. Flexible and hybrid working have also brought new challenges in how managers communicate with and support their teams.

And alongside all of that, most managers still have their own workload and objectives to deliver on.

When you consider how much the role has evolved, I think it’s worth considering whether the way we prepare and develop managers has evolved to reflect what we’re now expecting them to do.

How the role of a manager is changing

The environment in which managers are working has changed considerably, along with the level of responsibility we’re placing on them.

Working patterns have become more varied. When people are working in different locations, managers have to think more carefully about how they communicate, maintain relationships and make sure everyone feels included. They may have fewer opportunities for the informal conversations that help them understand how people are getting on, which means they need to be more deliberate about staying connected with their teams.

The CIPD’s 2025 research on flexible and hybrid working found that 91% of employers surveyed offered some form of flexible working arrangement, although access varied considerably between organisations and roles.

Expectations of managers have expanded. People increasingly look to their managers for coaching, development opportunities, recognition, feedback and support with challenges affecting their experience at work.

The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2025 highlights just how important the relationship between employees and their managers can be. It found that employees who had more positive views of their line managers were:

• More likely to feel effective in their roles.
• Less likely to report negative health impacts from work.
• Less likely to be considering leaving their organisation.

Managers have an important influence on people’s experience at work, alongside their responsibility for achieving results.

Managers are increasingly navigating competing expectations. Managers often find themselves balancing the priorities of the organisation with the needs of their teams. A new strategy, restructure or way of working might be decided at a senior level, but managers are often responsible for helping their teams understand what it means in practice, responding to concerns and supporting people through the changes.

And they may be expected to do this without having much influence over the decisions themselves.

Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index highlighted this challenge, finding that:

• 74% of managers surveyed felt they didn’t have the influence or resources needed to make changes on behalf of their teams.
• 54% felt their organisation’s leadership was out of touch with employee expectations.

Managers are often expected to balance competing priorities, communicate decisions they haven’t made themselves and support their teams through uncertainty.

The manager’s role is evolving

Many of the fundamentals of good management haven’t changed, but the environment in which managers are applying those fundamentals has evolved.

For some managers, that means leading people across different locations rather than relying on regular face-to-face contact. For others, it means navigating overlapping changes, taking a more deliberate approach to communication or placing greater emphasis on coaching and developing people.

The following graphic illustrates how the emphasis of the management role is evolving.

The comparisons illustrate changing management expectations and working practices. They aren’t intended to suggest that every organisation previously operated in the same way.

The point is that the context in which managers are working has changed, and the capabilities they need to succeed within that context must continue to evolve.

Experience alone isn’t always enough

Of course, managers learn a great deal through experience. Some of the most useful learning comes from dealing with real situations, trying different approaches and seeing what happens.

But something I’ve seen over the years is that experience doesn’t necessarily mean someone becomes a more effective manager.

Avoiding difficult conversations. For example, a manager who finds difficult performance conversations uncomfortable might put them off, hoping the situation will improve on its own. And in the short term, that might seem like the easier option because they’ve avoided an uncomfortable conversation. But the performance issue is still there and may become more difficult to address over time.

Solving problems for the team. Or take a manager who’s particularly good at solving problems. When someone in their team comes to them with an issue, they might step in and provide the answer. The problem gets solved, everyone can get on with their work and the manager feels they’ve been helpful. But if that happens every time, the team can become increasingly dependent on the manager rather than developing the confidence and skills to solve problems themselves.

These approaches are understandable, and managers may not even recognise that they’re creating difficulties for themselves or their teams. But over time, they can become established habits that are increasingly difficult to change.

And that’s why ongoing development is so important. Managers need opportunities to reflect on how they’re approaching different situations, consider the impact they’re having, explore alternative approaches and try doing things differently.

The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2025 found that:

• 60% of managers reported having the training and information needed to manage people well.
• 59% reported having sufficient time to manage people well.

That means around four in ten managers didn’t report having sufficient training and information, and a similar proportion didn’t feel they had enough time to manage their people well.

When you think about everything we’re expecting managers to do, that’s quite a concern. We need to consider whether we’re giving them the skills, support and time to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

Why manager capability matters to the wider organisation

Managers have a huge influence on what actually happens within an organisation. Although senior leaders might set the strategy, establish priorities and decide on changes, managers play a significant part in turning those decisions into what people experience every day.

Take the introduction of AI, for example. Many organisations are exploring how they can use AI to improve productivity, change the way work is done or create new opportunities. But introducing the technology is only part of the challenge. Managers need to help their teams understand what it means for their work, address concerns, encourage people to try new approaches and support them as they develop new skills.

And that’s just one example. Whether an organisation is introducing new technology, changing its structure or implementing a new strategy, managers are often the people responsible for helping their teams make those changes work in practice.

If managers aren’t confident leading change, communicating clearly or supporting people through uncertainty, it can make it much harder for the organisation to achieve what it’s trying to do.

That’s why manager capability has implications well beyond the individual manager or their team. It can influence how successfully an organisation implements change, develops its people and achieves its wider objectives.

Has our approach to manager development kept pace?

Given how much the role has changed, I think it’s important for organisations to regularly review how they’re developing their managers and consider whether their approach still reflects what managers need to be able to do.

A useful place to start is by looking at what managers are actually being asked to do today, and how that might change over the next few years.

• What are the situations they’re finding difficult?
• What conversations do they need to be more confident having?
• Where do they need to take a different approach to managing and developing their teams?
• And what capabilities will be particularly important as the organisation evolves?

The answers will vary between organisations, depending on their priorities, the challenges they’re facing and what they need from their managers.

Once those needs are clear, organisations can look at whether the development and support they’re providing genuinely prepares managers for the realities of the role.

As organisations change, the demands on managers will continue to evolve. And if we want managers to be confident and capable of meeting those demands, we need to make sure our approach to developing them evolves too.

So, how well does your current approach to manager development reflect what you’re asking your managers to do today?

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