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Recent management trends in the U.S.? Managers don't get enough training shares Wharton professor

August 04, 2025 / 00:59

This episode discusses underinvestment in employee training and management in US companies, focusing on the challenges of expanding spans of control.

The conversation highlights the trend of companies reducing management layers, which can lead to supervisors managing too many employees. This creates difficulties in tracking employee performance and providing adequate support.

It is noted that a significant portion of US managers report having no prior management training, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of management practices in the workplace.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of investing in training and development for both employees and management to improve overall company performance.

TLDR

US companies are underinvesting in management training, leading to ineffective supervision and employee support.

Episode

0:59

00:00:00

In US companies anyway, I think they are just underinvesting not just in employees and training and development,

00:00:07

but they're underinvesting in management. And we're seeing this right now as almost as we speak, companies

00:00:13

trying to take layers of management out. Sounds like a reasonable thing except what you're doing then is you're really

00:00:20

expanding the spans of control. So one supervisor has 20 people, right? and you just can't keep track of what's going on

00:00:28

with those people even in their work. how are they doing in their jobs and we're trying to make the supervisors

00:00:33

individual contributors as well as supervising all these people right so I think we are systematically particularly

00:00:39

in public companies underinvesting training is largely disappearing a third of US managers say they never had any

00:00:46

training in management before becoming a manager so I think that's the big thing

00:00:51

which we're seeing systematically in the Ask.

Episode Highlights

Underinvestment in Management Training
A significant number of US managers report lacking training before their roles.
“A third of US managers say they never had any training in management before becoming a manager.”
@ 00m 44s
August 04, 2025

Episode Quotes

We're systematically underinvesting in management training.
Recent management trends in the U.S.? Managers don't get enough training shares Wharton professor

Key Moments

Management Crisis00:02
Training Disappearing00:42