Photo Credit: Marco Bellucci
The top three obstacles that respondents reported were constraining their development were lack of time, job pressures and financial constraints, according to Ashridge Business School.
Areas of training that were said to be needed were leadership, influencing and people management.
The report, Exploring Learning Experiences of Middle Managers in the UK, surveyed 569 IT middle managers. The research showed that middle managers have to drive their own career development but their working environments do not give them the time to focus on extra training and development they need.
"There is an attitude to the personal development of middle managers from business which is lacking commitment," said Hamish Scott, programme director of Ashridge Business School. "If middle managers are working in organisations that say they support their learning and development, yet only half of them are given time to learn, there is a real business issue here. Middle managers are an important part of any organisation, acting as a crucial filter between day-to-day operational demands and the board’s strategy, and overlooking this critical function is short-sighted."
Middle management is said to be the least focused upon when it comes to employers investing time in their development and training.
"All too often the focus is on senior leaders and future leaders when it comes to development," said Scott. "The research showed that middle managers value formal learning as it provides personal insight as well as building confidence and developing skills such as people management, academic, technical and business skills, but in reality these needs are not being met."
Formal learning is often being overlooked with many respondents saying they have to learn as they go on their job.
"We need to get the middle moving, inspired and fulfilled; this means investing in people development to equip them with the skills to do their job and keep UK business running smoothly," said Scott. "What organisations are missing is their need to invest in its whole workforce and not use middle management as a stepping stone position."
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