The critical role of middle managers in driving FAIR policies success

Middle managers play a pivotal role in the successful implementation initiatives focused on inclusion, fairness and equal access within organisations. Their position as intermediaries between senior leadership and frontline employees enables them to directly influence team dynamics and workplace culture. While many middle managers recognise the importance of FAIR (fairness, access, inclusion and representations) environments, they often encounter challenges that can block their effectiveness in promoting these initiatives.

The disconnect between organisational aspirations and actual implementation often occurs at the middle management level.

Understanding the Middle Manager's role in inclusive talent strategies

The bridge between strategy and execution

Middle managers serve as an agentic liaison, as they translate high-level organisational commitments into daily practices that shape team culture and operations. This unique position allows them to:

• Interpret and contextualise DEI initiatives for their teams

• Model inclusive behaviours and set expectations for team members

• Provide feedback to senior leadership about implementation challenges and successes

• Adapt organisation-wide strategies to department-specific needs and contexts

  
  

Research from Boston Consulting Group in 2021 showed that of employees who reported they work in an inclusive culture, 81% also said they are happy in their jobs - three times more than those who don’t feel included.

Direct influence on the employee experience

Middle managers directly impact the day-to-day experience of employees through their decisions and actions. They influence:

• Hiring and promotion decisions

• Team assignments and project opportunities

• Performance evaluations and feedback

• Conflict resolution and team dynamics

• Recognition and rewards

  
  

It was revealed that 70% of the variance in employee engagement is attributed to manager behaviour in Jim Clifton's (Chairman Gallup) book "It's the manager" This significant influence extends to employees' perceptions of inclusion and belonging within the organisation.

But middle managers must navigate the tension between exercising autonomy in their roles and adhering to organisational directives. This balance can make it difficult to implement talent strategies effectively, especially if they feel constrained by top-down mandates.

The challenge is often exacerbated when:

• FAIR initiatives are mandated without middle manager input or buy-in

• Organisational policies conflict with the specific needs of their teams

• Managers lack the authority to adapt programs to their team's unique circumstances

• There's insufficient flexibility to address context-specific diversity challenges

  
  

It's often times that middle managers feel they have "high responsibility but low authority" when it comes to implementing new processes. No wonder we see a lot of disconnect and reduced effectiveness in driving meaningful change.

The eternal battles

1. Short-term vs. long-term goals

The pressure to meet immediate performance targets will overshadow the focus on long-term inclusion objectives in most cases. Limited time further restricts managers from engaging in relationship-building and implementing inclusive practices, while resource allocation decisions tend to favour immediate productivity over sustained cultural development.

Additionally, performance evaluation systems may not adequately recognise or reward inclusion efforts, reinforcing the perception that these initiatives are supplementary rather than essential to business success.

This tension can result in these initiatives being treated as "nice-to-have" rather than essential business practices.

2. Lack of training and resources

Without proper training and resources, middle managers may feel ill-equipped to lead talent initiatives.

Specific challenges include:

• Insufficient understanding of workplace inclusion concepts and best practices

• Limited skills in facilitating difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion

• Inadequate tools to measure and track progress

• Lack of confidence in addressing micro-aggressions and bias within their teams

• Uncertainty about legal and HR boundaries when handling related issues

These are practical, valuable skills but this this gap can result in uncertainty about how to foster inclusivity within their teams.

3. Navigating personal biases and resistanc

Middle managers, like all individuals, bring their own biases, experiences, and perspectives to their roles. These personal factors can impact their effectiveness in championing fairness in the employee experience and growth opportunities. Some of the most common situations are in cases where:

• Unconscious biases influence decision-making and interpersonal dynamics

• There is discomfort with addressing diversity topics, especially across dimensions of difference

• Resistance to changing established practices and norms is high

• Managers are concerned about "saying the wrong thing" or being perceived as insensitive

• Difficulty balancing different team members' needs and perspectives is not very smooth

Competing Priorities and Initiative Fatigue

Middle managers often juggle multiple priorities and initiatives simultaneously. The addition of DEI responsibilities to an already full plate can lead to initiative fatigue and reduced effectiveness.

This challenge is characterised by:

• Multiple competing organisational priorities without clear hierarchy

• Constant new initiatives without sunsetting of older programs

• Insufficient time allocation among other responsibilities

• Burnout from managing too many simultaneous change efforts

• Difficulty measuring the impact of efforts compared to other initiatives

Gartner reported that 75% of business managers are overwhelmed by the growth of their job responsibilities, and 73% aren’t equipped to lead organisational change. This is immense!

When DEI is perceived as "just another initiative," rather than integrated into core business practices, its effectiveness can be significantly compromised.

How do we empower Middle Managers then?

1. Clear communication of the business case for Workplace Inclusion

Providing middle managers with a thorough understanding of how Inclusive Leadership enhances team performance, improves operations, and benefits the bottom line can motivate them to integrate these principles into their management practices.

Effective approaches include:

• Sharing research and case studies demonstrating the business benefits of diverse and inclusive teams

• Connecting Workplace Inclusion outcomes to key performance indicators that matter to the manager's function

• Providing industry-specific examples of successful FAIR. implementations

• Offering data visualisation tools that illustrate impact on team performance

• Creating opportunities for managers to share success stories across the organisation

2. Incorporating fairness into performance metrics

Setting specific goals and recognising managers for achieving them can reinforce the importance of these initiatives. It's important to tailor though these goals to align with the company's context and ensure relevance and achievability.

Implementation should focus on:

• Developing clear, measurable objectives for each management level

• Including metrics in regular performance reviews and evaluations

• Tying compensation and advancement opportunities to Employee experience achievements

• Celebrating and recognising Inclusion champions within the organisation

• Creating accountability mechanisms for managers who consistently fall short on Inclusion goals

3. Providing adequate training and support

Equipping middle managers with the necessary skills and knowledge through comprehensive training programs enables them to confidently lead DEI efforts. Creating a supportive environment where they can discuss challenges and share best practices further enhances their effectiveness.

Effective training and support strategies include:

• Comprehensive education covering concepts, terminology, and best practices

• Skill-building workshops on inclusive leadership, bias mitigation, and conflict resolution

• Peer support networks for managers to share challenges and solutions

• Access to workplace culture experts and resources for ongoing guidance

4. Empowering through autonomy and resources

Providing middle managers with appropriate autonomy and resources enables them to adapt talent initiatives to their specific team contexts while maintaining alignment with organisational goals.

Key strategies include:

• Involving managers in the design and planning of talent initiatives

• Allocating dedicated time and budget

• Providing tools and frameworks that can be customised to team needs

• Creating clear decision-making authority for discrimination-related issues

• Offering administrative support for related program management

5. Creating middle manager Inclusion Champions

Identifying and developing middle managers who can serve as champions creates a network of peer advocates who can influence their colleagues and demonstrate the value of inclusive leadership.

A step by step approach is:

• Selecting managers with demonstrated commitment to equal opportunity principles

• Providing advanced training and development opportunities

• Creating formal roles and recognition for managers

• Facilitating regular forums for champions to share insights and best practices

• Leveraging champions' influence to drive broader organisational change

6. Integrating Inclusive Leadership into Daily Management Practices

Rather than treating it as a separate initiative, helping managers integrate inclusive practices into their regular management routines makes consideration for diversity and prioritisation of employee wellbeing a natural part of how teams operate.

Some integration strategies can be:

• Incorporating FAIR hiring considerations into hiring and promotion processes

• Ensuring inclusive meeting practices and decision-making approaches

• Building diversity and inclusion check-ins into regular team meetings

• Adapting performance management systems to recognise inclusive behaviours, (ie: inclusive leader NPS scores)

• Designing team-building activities that celebrate diversity and foster belonging

Our call to action

At the intersection of vision and reality, middle managers stand as the essential architects of inclusion. They transform the abstract into the tangible, converting organisational aspirations into the daily human experiences that define workplace culture. Their position is not merely functional but profound; they are where principle meets practice.

The challenge they face is one of translation: rendering the language of corporate FAIR commitments into the vernacular of everyday work life. This translation is not just technical but deeply human, requiring both emotional intelligence and practical wisdom.

What hangs in the balance is more than metrics or representation. It is the fundamental question of belonging, whether all employees can bring their authentic selves to work and thrive. Middle managers hold this delicate balance in their hands through countless daily decisions that either reinforce inclusion or, however unintentionally, undermine it.

The path forward requires courage from organisations: the courage to invest in manager capability, to measure what truly matters, and to recognise that fair talent development work is central to organisational excellence. By removing barriers that constrain middle managers and amplifying their capacity for inclusive leadership, organisations do more than improve representation metrics; they can fundamentally reimagine what the work experience can be for each individual.

Truly fair cultures emerge not from proclamations but from practices. And it is in the realm of practice, in the everyday moments of recognition, opportunity, and voice, that middle managers leave their most enduring legacy.