Managers who remain in their roles after corporate restructuring now oversee around three times as many employees compared to a decade ago, according to research and advisory firm Gartner, The Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 29.
In 2017, the median ratio was one manager for every five employees, but by 2023, that number spiked to one manager for every 15 employees, the researchers said. The shift in management reductions also means many managers are left with broader responsibilities and bigger teams, which can put a strain on mentorship abilities, consistent oversight and career development.
The findings come amid thinning management in the healthcare industry, as many hospitals and health systems have made leadership and management-level reductions the last few months, also highlighting a larger effort from many organizations for operational or financial restructuring.
In late July, Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., laid off 70 nonclinical employees, primarily affecting leadership and administrative support roles. The hospital pointed to healthcare industry shifts, new opportunities to deliver care more efficiently and federal policy changes for its decision.
In late June, West Reading, Pa.-based Tower Health laid off less than 0.5% of its employees across the system, which included management-level roles. The health system pointed to streamlining and optimizing organizational structure across several areas for its reductions.
