Introduction
The transformation of the labor landscape has put middle management under increasing pressure, as they face new challenges in managing their teams. A recent study highlights the need to equip these leaders with practical tools and more targeted training to address these demands.
The Impact of Labor Law Changes
Several years have passed since the amendments to the Federal Labor Law regulating labor union matters. However, we are now witnessing the true effects, particularly from workers who set higher expectations and present more challenging behaviors towards their immediate supervisors.
These pressures are being exploited by some unions, creating imbalance in the work environment. This has become a significant challenge for middle management. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that individuals in these positions are well-prepared and equipped with the necessary tools to manage these critical aspects within their teams.
Key Findings from Tamim HR Consulting Study
Through a study conducted by Tamim HR Consulting during the preparation and training of over 1,400 middle managers across various organizations, four key themes impacting the current role of these leaders in organizations were identified:
1. Workers Less Willing to Comply with Requests
This issue is not exclusively generational; supervisors across different sectors report the same problem. Workers, regardless of age, question their leaders more and are less open to completing all tasks assigned.
Examples include reluctance to work overtime or switch shifts. Moreover, enforcing operational discipline has become more difficult as workers are unwilling to acknowledge their mistakes or accept improvement plans, administrative acts, or severe penalties.
2. Work as a Means to Personal Goals, Not an End
The transformation of the labor world brings a redefinition of work’s meaning. Supervisors share that for many operational-level workers, it is challenging to emotionally connect with their work or the company. Instead, they view their jobs as a means to acquire resources for their true personal goals, leading to high turnover and making the supervisor’s job more difficult.
A significant finding reveals that this new reality has resulted in substantial reluctance among operators to take on higher positions. Middle managers report that many workers prefer staying in their current roles, unwilling to invest time in preparation for promotions or increased responsibility that requires more dedication and effort.
3. Communication Becomes Increasingly Difficult Despite More Resources
An interesting aspect of the investigation findings is that ensuring clear communication to teams has become more challenging. Supervisors report that the pressure for results impacts daily routines, reducing available time to connect with their teams.
This translates into significant challenges, as it results in improductivity, low engagement, and high labor risk. These gaps are often filled by negative informal leaders or create opportunities for new unions to exploit workers through complaints. A disconnected worker is always more vulnerable.
4. Workplace Violence is a Growing Concern
Among the most concerning findings, workplace violence has emerged as a significant issue. Supervisors report that interpersonal relationships have become rougher, especially among operators. Welcoming rituals for new colleagues have led to severe acts of violence, and night shift challenges often expose participants’ lives. These incidents frequently result in accidents and severe injuries.
Supervisors admit they lack adequate tools to prevent and manage such situations.
Addressing the Challenges
Middle managers today face more complex issues in managing their teams, requiring a more holistic approach. However, in most cases, these individuals reach leadership positions without proper preparation and often lack both academic and on-the-job training.
Analyzing the results of programs like ABC Laboral, we found that:
- Middle managers value training when it provides practical tools to address their real-life problems.
- Conceptual leadership training is no longer effective; supervisors prefer customized capsules rather than generic diplomas.
- Middle managers appreciate training spaces where they can experiment and make mistakes, ask seemingly basic but crucial questions for them.
- Supervisors suggest that an effective way to learn their people management role before taking responsibility for a team is through internal vacation replacement programs with mentoring from their own supervisors.
- Middle managers value having problem-solving guides, which is why these programs include “toolboxes” accessible through the supervisor’s phone for online consultation to address their concerns.
These programs allow for real progress measurement, as they depend on tangible tool application rather than mere sensitization or concepts.
The rising labor risk in Mexico compels organizations to seek more efficient and suitable solutions. Specifically, more precise methods are needed to address the needs of leaders in companies, especially those facing the dual pressure:
- Improve results
- Manage people in an increasingly complex environment
