Middle Managers in Danger
“Yesterday, you said that I had to do that. Now, you ask me to do this. What do you want me to do?? Why do you change your instructions so frequently? I am so confused!” A female worker in her 20s yelled this at a male manager sitting at his desk. The manager in his early 40s wiped sweat from his forehead without a word. A couple of hours later, the male manager was yelled at again by a general manager. “Why cannot you do this? Isn’t it your responsibility to manage your people? We have to do this by tomorrow morning!”
These are typical scenes in the office of a Japanese company. Middle managers in Japan are often in a position of “inside the sandwich”, somewhere between the top and the bottom. This sandwich press is pushing middle management harder than ever before.
No Compensation for Overtime Work
Due to pay-per-performance systems, middle managers need to work hard to achieve superb results, but do not receive any overtime pay. Middle managers are excluded from receiving overtime pay because they are in a management position, which is in accordance with the Japanese Labour Standard Law. In reality, some (or most) middle managers do fieldwork to meet targets and make up for the shortages of fieldwork staff. Young employees in non-managerial positions can receive overtime pay and are protected by Article 36 of the Labour Standard Law.
Increase of Illness among Middle Managers
Middle managers, who are under pressure from all sides, are more at risk of contracting a physical or mental illness. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare announced in May that authorized mental illness at work increased by 30.7% from the previous year. Such illness is highest among those aged 30 to 39, who are more likely to be in a middle management position.
Need Cares for Middle Managers
Middle managers, who are mediators between the top and the bottom, are not able to absorb the pressures from both sides anymore. I sincerely hope that companies provide greater care to middle managers and treat them as the backbone of their company, and not simply as “jokers”.
June 13 2008 07:37 am | Communication and Culture and Research and Weekly Articles
