“More with less” has been the unofficial slogan of workplace strategy for a while now. In 2026, it has a new face: the ‘megamanager’. A manager juggling far more direct reports and responsibilities than ever before, often without the support, skills or time needed to do the job well.
This did not happen because a group of senior leaders sat in a boardroom and said, “Let’s give managers thirty direct reports and see how that goes.” It happened because organisational structures shifted faster than capability. Suddenly, one manager is expected to lead larger teams, navigate performance conversations, support wellbeing, hit targets and still find time to think strategically. Preferably before lunch.
The rise of the megamanager is not a trend to celebrate. It is a reality that needs to be addressed.
For L&D teams, the question is not whether this model exists; the question is whether it can be effectively implemented. It is how organisations stop it from becoming a fast track to burnout, disengagement, and quietly ineffective leadership.
Why the Management Role Is Under Pressure
Being a manager used to come with a clear job description. Lead the team. Hit the targets. Keep things moving. Simple. These days, that list has quietly multiplied, and the symbolic folders (since most of us are paperless now) are piling up on desks.
Research shows that 75% of HR leaders say managers feel overwhelmed by the growing scope of their role, and 69% admit managers are not fully equipped to lead ongoing change. With modern managers expected to be strategists, coaches, culture carriers, wellbeing barometers, and hybrid work diplomats all at once (phew!). It’s no wonder these numbers make sense.
In fact, Research suggests managers are juggling around 51% more responsibilities than they can realistically handle. More responsibility equals more deadlines, which means developmental factors like coaching conversations and well-being can take an unfortunate back seat.
All of these point to an expanded role without sufficient support, which can leave managers overwhelmed and less effective at the things that matter most.
What This Means for L&D
For L&D teams, the rise of the megamanager is both a challenge and an opportunity. If managers are expected to carry more responsibility, they need to be deliberately equipped to do so. That does not mean expecting managers to work longer hours or magically acquire new skills overnight. It means providing functional, practical learning that builds capability where it matters most.
Supporting managers with learning also benefits the wider organisation. Stronger people, higher capability and lower turnover are indeed connected to management capability. Moreover, teams are more resilient when managers are confident in coaching, communication, and delegation. Employees do like a healthy salary and a perk here and there, but overall, a good manager is priceless for engagement.
This is where targeted capability building becomes critical. Not theory-heavy frameworks, but skills managers can apply in real-world moments: prioritising work, having sensitive conversations, and protecting wellbeing.
Supporting Managers Without Pretending the Job Is Easy
If megamanagers are here to stay, we have to support them, and we mean real support. Not a vague pep talk, instead provide practical learning that makes a difference day to day.
Video Arts learning is designed with exactly this in mind.
Our Management and Talent collection helps managers build practical skills around delegation, performance conversations and decision making. This is learning that helps managers do the job they actually have, not the job they wish they had more time for.
Our Mental Health and Well-being collection, which will soon include new Stress and Resilience Essentials, is designed with the modern manager in mind. It helps managers understand how to manage not just the well-being of their teams, but in themselves too. Self-awareness and regulation are key ways to build resilience to tackle increased responsibilities.
Research shows that managers who receive mental health training are better equipped to recognise pressure early, reduce the risk of stress escalating, and create healthier working environments. Crucially, they are also better at protecting their own well-being rather than quietly absorbing everyone else’s.
This kind of learning helps megamanagers move from simply coping with pressure to managing it with confidence and sustainability.
Big Roles Need Better Backing
The megamanager is not going away. Organisations are asking more of managers, and that trend is unlikely to reverse any time soon. But organisations also have the opportunity to shape how managers meet those expectations.
Instead of hoping managers find their way through complexity on instinct alone, HR and L&D teams can build capability deliberately, with learning that reflects real behaviour and helps managers lead with confidence.
If you want to support your management capability in ways that genuinely work, get in touch. We would love to help.
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