Why Wellness is the Hidden Solution to the Middle Management Void
Stevi Gable Carr, Founder & CEO WISe Wellness Guild
In the race to streamline operations, companies have aggressively trimmed layers of middle management in favor of flatter, faster structures. Tech giants like Meta and Amazon led the charge, hoping leaner org charts would spark innovation and reduce bureaucracy. But the cost of “doing more with less” is starting to show up—especially at the top.
Senior leaders are taking on wider spans of control and more administrative work, often at the expense of strategic thinking and personal sustainability. According to Korn Ferry’s 2025 Workforce Survey, 41% of employees report that management layers have been cut at their companies, and 48% of senior executives say they’re struggling to manage it all—more than even CEOs (40%). Nearly half of workers say leadership isn’t aligned, and 37% feel directionless.
Eliminating middle managers doesn’t just dilute clarity. It also disrupts mentorship, career development, and team cohesion—key drivers of employee engagement and retention. Research from McKinsey & Company shows that the presence of strong middle management correlates directly with organizational health and long-term performance. When that layer disappears, high performers often follow.
The solution isn’t to simply rebuild the org chart—it’s to rebuild the infrastructure that supports human energy and leadership capacity. And this is where wellness steps in as an unexpected but powerful lever.
Wellness as Infrastructure: How It Fills the Management Gap
1. Energy Management Replaces Micromanagement
Middle managers once served as shock absorbers for burnout, pacing teams and providing air cover. Without them, leaders are overextended and employees are overwhelmed. Wellness strategies—like ultradian rhythm scheduling, movement breaks, and guided recovery practices—can increase productivity by 12% and reduce fatigue-related errors by up to 30% (Global Wellness Institute).
2. Clarity Through Culture
In the absence of middle managers, companies need new rituals to maintain alignment. Daily wellness touchpoints, mental health moments, and gratitude check-ins help rebuild psychological safety and team cohesion. Gallup research shows that teams with high well-being and communication clarity see 23% higher profitability and 66% lower burnout rates.
3. Talent Development Reimagined
Middle managers were once the primary source of coaching and feedback. In their absence, scalable wellness-based leadership programs—focusing on emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-leadership—can fill the void. Companies that integrate these elements into their learning strategies see 4.2x higher employee engagement (Deloitte 2024 Human Capital Trends).
4. Belonging as Strategy
Without strong middle managers, many employees feel invisible. Wellness-centric cultures create new pathways for belonging, inclusion, and recognition. According to a BetterUp Labs study, employees who feel a strong sense of purpose and well-being are 52% more likely to stay at their organization and 29% more productive.
The Way Forward
As Maria Amato of Korn Ferry advises, “Before you jump to solutions—whether it’s cutting or rebuilding—you have to diagnose your own organization.” A true diagnosis must include more than workflows and reporting lines. It must include the health, clarity, and capacity of the humans doing the work.
That’s why the smartest companies aren’t just restructuring—they’re re-energizing. They’re treating wellness not as a perk, but as infrastructure. Because when wellness becomes embedded into culture, operations, and leadership development, it quietly restores what middle management once provided: connection, growth, and clarity.
And that’s not just sustainable—it’s strategic.
Sources:
Korn Ferry 2025 Workforce Survey
McKinsey & Company, “The Power of Middle Managers” (2023)
Global Wellness Institute, “The Future of Wellness at Work”
Gallup, “State of the Global Workplace 2024”
Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 2024
BetterUp Labs, “Purpose and Belonging at Work” (2023)
Want help applying these strategies in your organization? Book a discovery call with Stevi Gable Carr to explore how wellness can drive performance and sustainable leadership.