Positioned between executive leadership and individual teams, middle managers play a critical role in an organization’s success. They are tasked with working across functions and business areas, bridging the gap between high-level strategy and execution. This has become even more important—and more complex—as organizations become increasingly dispersed, whether through global expansion or adoption of hybrid or remote work.

Empowering mid-level leaders through professional development and training can elevate productivity, boost employee engagement and help organizations retain top talent—both in middle management and on the teams they oversee. Many mid-level managers in fact point to learning and development (L&D) as a high priority when deciding whether to stay at their company or look elsewhere. According to the “Global Leadership Forecast 2025,” high-potential leaders and individual contributors are 3.7 times more likely to leave if their manager doesn’t regularly provide opportunities for growth and development.

With learning goals spanning from industry-specific technical skills to universal soft skills—such as leadership, communication, and collaboration—supporting middle manager development is a significant undertaking for organizations. The question then becomes: How can organizations set up their mid-level leaders for success in the L&D process? How can companies empower middle managers to more effectively support their team members’ development?

Consider these core strategies to start designing a powerful L&D strategy for middle management:

1. Recognize middle managers’ learning wins

Across industries and organizations, mid-level managers tend to face serious time pressures, with the needs of executives and individual teams often pulling them in two different directions. These urgent tasks of the day can make it feel impossible to sit down and invest time in learning. As shown in the Kahoot! 2024 Workplace Culture Report, “Training for the future of work,” 47% of professionals rank time constraints as their top obstacle to upskilling.

The report also reveals, however, that recognition could be a strong tool to boost motivation for L&D and encourage professionals to make time for it. 90% of respondents say they would be more motivated to learn new skills if their efforts were recognized. Despite this, nearly one-half (46%) claim their organization fails to acknowledge or reward their learning accomplishments.

If organizations want middle managers to make space for L&D in their busy schedules, they need to give middle managers a reason to prioritize it. Show them that growing their skills is valued by spotlighting their progress. Shareable badges and certificates are classic methods of this, while social experiences like game-based learning—such as a Kahoot! tournament—can make achievements even more exciting.

2. Leverage interactivity to amplify engagement in learning

One of the most critical responsibilities of mid-level leaders is to keep their teams engaged—both in everyday work and in L&D. However, engagement is no less important in learning experiences for middle managers, themselves.

Interactivity is one of the most powerful ways to spark and hold participants’ interest in learning, by giving everyone an active and important role in the process. Trainers can do this by weaving interactive questions and activities into presentations, meetings, and internal events. Adding elements of friendly competition can also make these experiences even more engaging.

Beyond engagement, these interactions can provide valuable insights into middle management—including knowledge gaps, innovative ideas. and critical feedback. Not only can this help organizations identify leaders with high potential, but it can also surface important input from different teams to executive decision makers.

3. Build managers’ adaptability with continuous learning

For years now, business leaders across industries have advised middle managers to focus their development on the same key areas: adaptability, resilience, resourcefulness and learning agility. Essentially: Learn how to deal with change and find opportunities within it. This is becoming more essential by the day as technologies like AI advance at dizzying speeds, creating needs for new skills in the workforce. Employees also recognize the need to keep pace with these transformations, with 46% of workers fearing that their skills will be obsolete in five years or less, according to the Kahoot! report.

To keep up with continuous changes in today’s workplace, organizations must provide continuous learning for employees. Microlearning—quick, bite-sized, typically digital learning experiences—can be a particularly helpful strategy for mid-level managers, allowing them to learn in the flow of work and make consistent progress in their L&D goals, even with tight schedules. These self-paced learning sessions can also be accessed anywhere through a mobile device, providing learning opportunities for all middle managers, no matter where they’re located.

When designing an L&D strategy for mid-level leaders, it’s vital to model the support that the organization wants middle managers to give their team members. When mid-level managers take part in learning experiences that engage them, recognize their accomplishments, and keep them equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive, they’re empowered to help every team they work with flourish.

Start engaging your organization’s middle managers in learning and development today with Kahoot! 360!

This blog post is based on an article originally published in Training Industry.