, Columnist
Middle Managers Will Make or Break the Diversity Drive
Companies are shaking up boards and entry-level hiring. But inequalities will persist if middle managers aren’t involved too.
It’s not just hiring that matters.
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Firms are at pains to promote diversity in their leadership and at the entry level. But what about the vast mass of employees in between? Socially minded investors need to have middle managers in their sights too.
The terms for middle management — “permafrost,” “the frozen middle” — are generally miserable. “Frontline managers” is often preferred. However they’re described, the divisional heads and group leaders who sit below an executive committee do much of the hiring, firing and promoting. They have the biggest day-to-day influence on employees’ working lives.