UrusanAug 18, 2021

In a conversation with my wife, she said my middle manager was a "class traitor".

In an earlier conversation with my (unionized) father-in-law, he made an excellent case that middle managers are dupes, tricked into their role by higher up management with promises of status, pay, and advancement that typically doesn't come.

What does the Internet think about this? In general are these middle managers just workers that got duped? Or are they betraying workers for their benefit?

Class traitors
0%
Dupes
45.5%
Both
27.3%
Neither
27.3%
Poll ended at .
Show threadAgris ViridiAug 18, 2021
@urusan what do you mean by middle manager?
Show threadUrusanAug 18, 2021
@Agris Any manager that isn't an executive or large percentage owner, especially in bigger companies (as there's typically less hierarchy in small and midsize companies, though it depends on the culture).
Show threadEvelyn☕Aug 18, 2021

@urusan @Agris
I don't get it. How would the anti middle manager people run a large company? Have a few big bosses and a hundred of everyone else having the exact same level of responsibilities?

So is your father-in-law an executive or middle manager? And are all managers there not unionized? I thought unions were for everyone to freely join.

I never joined a union. It wasn't a thing at any company I worked for. 🤷‍♀️

Show threadUrusanAug 18, 2021

@evelynyap @Agris So, I'm not actually anti-middle management. From my perspective, middle managers are ordinary employees.

The issue is more work cultural/ideological. In the workplace hierarchy that nearly every company has, managers are elevated above most employees, despite doing similar work and/or secretarial work.

Show threadEvelyn☕

@urusan
My idea of middle managers are those of a supervisory role. Team leaders. It's rather unfair to put them down like that. I can't see how a large business can do without them.

Unless the people who are against the idea of having middle managers actually* have a better* idea on how to run a business... #SourGrapes #CrabMentality

And you didn't answer my questions.

Never mind.

I'm guessing the critics aren't themselves bosses/executives/managers. #work #jobs

Aug 19, 2021 at 12:17amWeb
Show threadUrusanAug 19, 2021

@evelynyap I'm taking care of my toddler, so my response times may be somewhat slow.

This isn't sour grapes, I've turned down official management roles, despite doing the work unofficially for my managers, as well as being backup. I've also performed them officially in a small businesses context, where the rubber really meets the road in a very immediate way, even the scale is a bit more manageable.