Australia is experiencing a leadership crisis. While the spotlight is often placed on executive burnout, a rising concern is emerging within a different group entirely. Early career managers and middle managers are now reporting burnout levels higher than almost any other role group.
These are your newly promoted leaders. Individual contributors who suddenly became responsible for results, people, performance, and culture. They sit between senior leadership and frontline staff and absorb pressure from both directions. Yet unlike senior leaders, they often lack structured support, leadership coaching, development planning, and ongoing feedback.
Understanding the causes of manager burnout in Australia is essential. The next step is equipping emerging leaders with the support systems they need to succeed long term.
1. The Burnout Epidemic Affecting Young and Middle Managers
Burnout is not new, but the experience of it is evolving. Recent reporting across Australia shows that early career and mid-level managers are:
- Managing increased workloads and constant change
- Leading hybrid teams without training
- Supporting employee wellbeing while receiving little support themselves
- Navigating team conflict, performance pressure, and cultural expectations
- Taking on leadership responsibilities without proper preparation
News reports describe Australia’s middle managers as “the forgotten workforce,” caught in an impossible set of expectations. They must be operational, strategic, emotionally supportive, and culturally aligned all at once. For new managers, the learning curve is extreme. Many are promoted due to technical strength, not leadership readiness.
2. Why New Leaders Are Struggling More Than Ever
- They inherit responsibility suddenly: Many new managers go from individual contributor to people leader almost overnight. The emotional and psychological shift is massive. They must establish authority, manage former peers, communicate with confidence, and make decisions that affect others.
- They lack structured training: Most new leaders are not given a leadership playbook, a coaching plan, or behaviour-based expectations. Without a clear competency framework, they are left guessing what great leadership looks like.
- They receive conflicting expectations: Senior leaders want strategic thinking. Teams want emotional support. HR wants consistent feedback. Operations want productivity. New managers often feel like they are failing someone no matter what they do.
- They have limited access to coaching: Most coaching investment in Australia is directed toward senior executives. Yet the group that needs coaching most urgently is often the group receiving the least of it.
- Hybrid work creates new emotional pressure: Leading people who are partially remote requires emotional intelligence, strong communication, trust building, and the ability to read nuance through screens. Many new managers feel overwhelmed.
3. How Leadership Coaching Reduces Burnout
Leadership coaching is no longer a luxury. It is arguably one of the most effective tools for reducing manager burnout in Australia and building a resilient leadership pipeline.
Coaching provides:
- Clarity about expectations: A structured competency framework helps new managers understand what good leadership looks like and how it is measured.
- Support with real world challenges: Coaching gives emerging leaders a safe space to talk about conflict, feedback, difficult conversations, identity shifts, and emotional load.
- Tools for emotional regulation: Skills such as emotional intelligence, effective decision making, and resilience have a direct impact on stress levels.
- Increased confidence: When managers know how to lead effectively, they experience less stress and more control over their work.
- Clear, personalised development pathways: Young leaders burn out when they feel lost. Personalised plans give them direction and momentum.
4. A Modern Approach for Australian Organisations
Reducing burnout is not about being reactive, forget generic leadership workshops and outdoor retreats. It requires It requires a system that supports new leaders continuously, not occasionally.
A modern and effective leadership development system includes:
- A culturally aligned competency framework: New managers need clarity on the behaviours and leadership expectations that matter in your organisation.
- 360 degree feedback and self reflection: Emerging leaders benefit from understanding how they are perceived across different groups. This strengthens self awareness and development planning.
- A personalised development plan: Insights only matter if they lead to practical actions. A personalised and structured plan removes uncertainty and helps new managers grow faster.
- Progress tracking over time: Burnout decreases when managers can see their growth. Tracking improvement creates confidence and motivation.
Platforms like MyMentor Insights bring all of these elements together into a single experience. They give new and emerging leaders the clarity, behavioural insight, and development support they need. They also give organisations visibility of leadership capability across their teams.
Take it a for a pilot! Either sign up here or contact one of our team members at info@multiratersurveys.com
In a landscape where manager burnout is increasing across Australia, a system that develops confident, supported and emotionally capable leaders is no longer optional. It is essential for retention, performance, and culture.