The Rise of Supermanagers: 7 Negative Impacts and 5 Fixes

Most workplaces thrive with great managers. But some workplaces may suffer from the increasing number of “supermanagers.”

As companies level their org charts and eliminate middle managers, there’s been a rise of supermanagers — front-line leaders in charge of significantly more employees than they’ve ever been.

The average number of employees managers have increased from 10.9 in 2024 to 12.1 in 2025, according to a Gallup survey.

The Impact of Supermanagers

Supermanagers can sometimes oversee 20+ employees, particularly following team restructuring and corporate layoffs.

“This impacts not just the managers themselves but also their teams,” says Owl Labs CEO Frank Weishaupt. “Our State of Hybrid Work 2025 data shows that 89% of employees rank having a supportive manager as one of the most important factors in their workplace experience.”

Bottom line: “The impact is felt on both ends. Managers who are feeling unsupported and overwhelmed don’t suffer alone – that weight can eventually trickle down to the entire team,” says Weishaupt.

Even as managers have AI helping with some of the time-consuming work — such as coordinating information, monitoring progress, and relaying decisions up and down the chain — they’re still spread thin. When they have too many employees to support, they often struggle to find the time to support everyone’s needs.

And employees don’t know where or how to turn for direction. We’ll get into more detail below.

Negative Impacts of Supermanaging

Supermanging is a reality these days. And it poses potential negative effects on the managers and their employees.

Impact on Managers

Most managers are already stressed. The Owl Labs researchers found supermanaging compounds the problem:

• 43% of respondents say their level of work-related stress has increased since last year
• 49% feel disengaged with their work compared to non-managers, and
• 84% of those who engage in quiet quitting are managers.

“Supermanagers need to be equipped with the resources and time to properly support all of their direct reports,” says Weishaupt. “Otherwise, companies risk burnout and employee dissatisfaction.”

Impact on Employees

For employees, being supervised by a supermanager can be a challenge in the moment and for their future.

• 50% of employees say they lack career progression
• 39% say their level of work-related stress has increased since last year
• 44% lack relationships with colleagues or don’t experience cross-functional work, and
• 36% have not met their bosses in person!

Here’s what’s important: Nearly 90% of employees say having a supportive manager is one of the most important factors for them to thrive in the workplace. So we can see where the disconnect is between super managing and managing employees well.

But there’s good news.

“There are ways to combat this. Companies should be intentional about creating opportunities for employees to connect with one another and with leadership,” says Weishaupt.

More details below.

5 Ways to Support Managers, Employees in a Supermanager System

Whether you have a full-on supermanager system — where front-line managers oversee 20+ employees — or your managers oversee a few too many employees, you want to support both leaders and employees as best you can so they can thrive.

Here are strategies.

1. Let AI Free Up Human Time

More than a quarter of employees use AI every day to streamline tasks and boost productivity, the Owl Labs study found. Do that more to make supermanagement work.

“There are many different ways to use AI, but the key is using it as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human judgment,” says Weishaupt. When used intentionally, it can help take on routine or repetitive tasks, freeing up managers to spend time coaching their teams, investing in meaningful one-on-one relationships, and exercising the kind of creative and emotional intelligence that defines great leadership.”

2. Clarify Vision, Strategy

For the supermanager, clarity is key. They will have very little time for one-on-one meetings, so they will want to laser focus on their team’s vision and strategy. That way, they can consistently convey that message across the board to the team.

Ideally, there is one vision with a strategy that everyone understands their roles. When the supermanager consistently sends the message, employees can see their next steps because the vision has been clear from the start.

3. Forget Micromanagement

If there’s ever been a moment in time to leave micromanagement behind, it is now. Some employees have loved being micromanaged. And the supermanagement principle will allow some organizations to see which employees can sink or swim under less controlled environments.

The key here will be ensuring employees understand their role. So supermanagers will want to replace constant supervision and micromanagement with role explanation and training.

4. Redefine Success

Managers and supermanagers are different in many ways — and likely can’t be held to the same standards.

“Management and HR should start by redefining what success and productivity look like in this new era, because measuring a supermanager by the same criteria as managers with a smaller number of direct reports is a recipe for burnout,” says Weishaupt.

How? “HR managers should stay closely aligned with their managers, proactively identifying pain points, and ensuring they have the tools to lead effectively,” says Weishaupt. “Organizations that offer genuine flexibility and create clear pathways for managers to grow will be the ones that hold onto their best people.”

5. Maintain Some Connection

The concept of supermanagement makes connections seem impossible. But they’re still critical for teams — regardless of their size — to thrive. So it’ll be important to make formal, organized efforts to maintain connections within super teams.

“Whether that’s through regular team check-ins, in-person gatherings or moments that don’t have an agenda … providing employees with opportunities to voice questions and concerns creates a transparent environment,” says Weishaupt.