Upgrading Management Skills for the Future of Work

December 5, 2025

Managers have always been the engines of performance, but the role has changed dramatically. Today’s managers are expected not just to meet goals but to foster connection, adaptability, and well-being in their teams.

For HR leaders, that shift creates both a challenge and an opportunity: how to equip managers with the modern management skills that drive engagement, retention, and resilience. 

Lyra’s 2026 Workforce Mental Health Trends Forecast shows that while employee expectations have evolved, manager training hasn’t always kept pace. Many managers are navigating greater demands than ever—supporting team well-being, adapting to rapid change, and meeting rising performance goals—often without the tools or time to do it all effectively.

Yesterday's skills won't solve today's problems

Management skills have typically focused on process: Do they know the software? Are the projects running on time? Did they fix the broken thing? But in an era where AI can build a project plan and a dashboard can flag a problem, human management skills have become the true competitive edge.

Today’s key people management skills include:

• Empathy and trust-building – Beyond tasks and meetings, effective managers create psychological safety, listen actively, and lead with transparency.
• Adaptability and resilience – Managers now guide teams through constant change, from reorgs to AI disruption, helping them stay steady and focused.
• Motivation and recognition – Recognition still matters, but today it’s about genuine engagement: understanding what drives each person and connecting their work to a larger purpose.

How to build “superpowered” managers

Developing great managers requires focused training and a culture that gives them space to apply what they learn.

#1 Modernize management skills training 

Most organizations offer training, but 95% of HR leaders say it’s not enough. A generic management skills webinar can’t prepare a manager to support a neurodiverse employee or respond to a mental health challenge. Without practical, scenario-based support, managers are left guessing—and employees feel the impact. This is especially important in leadership training for new managers who may be promoted for skills besides people management readiness.

Solution: Offer people management training that builds human-centered leadership skills—like empathy, adaptability, and mental health literacy—and pair it with individual coaching so managers can practice these skills, apply them to real situations, and get tailored guidance for their role.

#2 Reward people skills that lead to performance

If promotions hinge only on hitting numbers, you signal that people come second. Managers who connect and inspire can be as valuable as those who deliver metrics. 

This is a real business risk. Managers account for 70% of team engagement, and recent Gartner research found 75% of HR leaders say managers are overwhelmed by increasing job responsibilities.

Solution: Incorporate human connection skills into performance reviews. Use 360-degree feedback, and celebrate managers who build trust and engagement, in addition to the ones who crush a quota.

#3 Address “the middle squeeze”

Managers can’t build connections if they’re stretched to their limits. The average manager now oversees three times as many direct reports as in 2017. When capacity breaks, even the best skills can’t compensate.

Solution: Review manager workloads and goals. Create realistic spans of control and provide expert consultation and coaching support so managers aren’t carrying the emotional labor alone.

#4 Foster autonomy and trust

Micromanagement drains energy and engagement. High-performing teams thrive on autonomy and trust. 

Solution: Empower managers to coach, not control. This means giving employees ownership over their work and trusting them to deliver. Lyra’s report notes that 53% of leaders are redesigning roles and workloads to reduce chronic stressors, and building autonomy is a key way to do that.

#5 Prioritize self-care as a leadership skill

Managers who are overwhelmed can’t model balance for their teams. Self-care is not indulgent—it’s essential to effective leadership.

Solution: Normalize healthy boundaries, time off, and use of mental health resources when needed. When leaders care for themselves, they lead with more empathy, clarity, and sustainability.

Equip managers to lead with impact

The manager role has evolved faster than most organizations’ support systems. By investing in modern management skills now, you can help prevent burnout, strengthen culture, and build resilient teams ready for the future of work.