Healthcare employers bringing back middle management jobs

The tide is turning for healthcare middle managers, who often got the axe when the economy began its decline. Now healthcare employers are changing their tune, with 44 percent of those who cut middle management jobs aiming to bring them back, according to a nationwide survey conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder from May 19 to June 8, 2011.

The move is intended to alleviate the structural and emotional drawbacks that resulted from scaling down middle management.

Despite saving funds and streamlining operations, almost three-fourths of the healthcare employers cited negative consequences from the cuts, including poorer morale (47 percent), decreased employee motivation (27 percent), less effective training (26 percent), reduced communication of company news (25 percent), reduced succession planning (23 percent), and less recognition for workers (22 percent).

"Healthcare employers are bringing middle management back because they give balance and direction within complex organizations," said Rob Morris, product director of MiracleWorkers.com, a division of CareerBuilder, in a statement. "They play important roles from onboarding new employees and tracking progress to building positive morale and maintaining chains of communication--all things that are difficult to do without."

Such survey results add to recent reports showing that healthcare employment continues to climb in the still weakened economy, and it's projected to soar by 23 percent from 2008 to 2018, compared to only 9 percent in all other employment sectors.

To learn more:
- read the press release