Higher Education Middle Managers Navigating the Complexities of Implementing Workplace Learning for Frontline Employees
Open Access DepositedWedged in the Middle
Mair, 2002). Now more than ever, there is a necessity for organizations to provide high-quality workplace learning programs that support organizational goals and aid in the ongoing development of its employees. This basic qualitative study was guided by one central research question
From 2020-2025, higher education institutions in the United States have had to continuously respond to ongoing resource and labor shortages attributed first to the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently attributed to the cancellation of federal funding triggered by the current presidential administration (Center for American Progress, 2025
Marsicano et al., 2020). Like most organizations, when there are changes within higher education institutions, middle managers are expected to translate organizational directives into operational actions for their employees and in tandem, support the development of employee jobs skills to achieve these directives through structured or unstructured workplace learning activities (Jacobs & Park, 2009
How do middle managers understand their role in implementing workplace learning activities for frontline employees? This study contributes four findings to the scholarly discourse on the identity and role of middle managers in organizations by highlighting the essential nature of middle managers to business operations, while identifying a deficiency in middle managers’ ability to develop adequate workplace learning programs for frontline employees. Additionally, this study details the impact of organizational context on the strategic prioritization of workplace learning and illuminates a breakdown in upwards communication between middle managers and senior leaders. This study emphasizes the significance of middle managers in higher education operations as they manage a multitude of duties to support organizational viability and guide employee development. The findings from this study illuminate the critical role middle managers play in driving organizational strategy and supporting the development of their employees through the implementation of structured and unstructured workplace learning activities.
National Conference of State Legislatures, 2021
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