As more companies slash middle managers, experts say HR should prioritize employees

Another domino has fallen in Corporate America’s management-flattening movement…

Uber announced earlier this week a 10% reduction in force affecting nearly 3,000 employees, Bloomberg reported. The layoffs are part of an effort to flatten organizational structure and will result in 20% fewer managers, some of whom will be moved into individual contributor roles.

Layoffs targeting middle managers have become increasingly common in recent years. Between May 2022 and May 2025, the number of managers at public companies fell by 6.1%, HR Brew previously reported. Google, for instance, reduced its management headcount by 35% between 2024 and 2025, CNBC reported.

The managers who do survive downsizing efforts are often left to oversee more employees. The average number of direct reports per manager rose from 10.9 in 2024 to 12.1 in 2025, a Gallup report found, and while 66% of managers oversee fewer than 10 employees, 22% lead teams of 10–24 and 13% manage 25 or more employees.

What’s HR to do? People leaders whose organizations are flattening management should prioritize employee engagement and morale efforts, Karan Ferrell-Rhodes, CEO and founder of consulting firm Shockingly Different Leadership, previously told HR Brew.

“You have to balance the financial pressures with the realization of what is needing to be done,” Ferrell-Rhodes said. “They’ve got to be change agents with that, either be innovative in finding a better alternative…or they’ve got to find a way to make it happen with the least negative impact possible.”

HR pros and managers can also follow a three-step process: pause, consider, and act, Ashley Herd, founder of consultancy Manager Method and author of The Manager Method, previously told HR Brew. While leadership may prioritize speed, she said every HR pro and manager should pause before reacting. Then consider, with empathy, how others might react and feel, and act in response to employees’ questions or concerns.

“Those three steps can really help in situations, including as your team is expanding,” Herd said. “While it can feel stressful for you…you may not think about how that actually probably feels stressful for your teams too.”