{"id":32256,"date":"2026-09-28T15:09:40","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=32256"},"modified":"2026-09-28T15:09:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:09:43","slug":"manager-burnout-hr-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/manager-burnout-hr-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are managers under pressure and what can HR do about it?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhy are managers under pressure and what can HR do about it?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDiscover why managers are feeling more pressure than ever and explore practical HR strategies to reduce stress, prevent burnout, and improve support.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-28T15:09:40+01:00\">28 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Why are managers under pressure and what can HR do about it?\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/manager-burnout-hr-support\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/charliebraithwaite\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/Charlie-Braithwaite-Profile-Image-600x600-1-350x350.png\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Charlie Braithwaite\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/Charlie-Braithwaite-Profile-Image-600x600-1-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/Charlie-Braithwaite-Profile-Image-600x600-1.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Charlie Braithwaite<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managers are being asked to do more than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re expected to deliver results, support employee wellbeing, develop skills, manage performance, and help teams adapt to constant change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the support around them hasn\u2019t always kept pace. Sage\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HR and Payroll Leaders\u2019 Report<\/a> found that 78% of HR managers feel more stretched than they did 2 years ago, while 49% feel stressed about their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;HR managers are also under growing pressure to support stressed line managers across the wider business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So why are managers today under so much pressure?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research points to a wider issue: managers are being asked to lead <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/digital-transformation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">digital transformation<\/a>, support wellbeing, develop skills, improve retention, and manage performance, but many still lack the time, tools, and support needed to do all those things effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we\u2019ll look at why pressure is rising and what HR can do to help managers perform without burning out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-container is-constrained\"><div class=\"sage-container__inner\">\n<h3 id=\"h-key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key takeaways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manager pressure is rising:<\/strong> 78% of HR managers feel more stretched than they did 2 years ago, while 49% feel stressed about their jobs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The role is expanding in several directions:<\/strong> HR managers increasingly expect to spend more time on digital transformation, strategy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employee-wellbeing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee wellbeing,<\/a> retention, and skills development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pressure spreads across the organisation:<\/strong> stretched HR managers are also being asked to support line managers dealing with their own workload and people challenges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>They need additional support to handle this increased responsibility:<\/strong> 86% of survey respondents say that investment in modern HR technology would help tackle their challenges, while 85% say the same about support from senior business leaders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consistent support matters:<\/strong> clear priorities, practical tools, regular check-ins, and early visibility into workload can help managers deal with pressure before it becomes burnout.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-why-are-managers-under-so-much-pressure\" data-level=\"2\">Why are managers under so much pressure?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-manager-burnout-needs-a-wider-response\" data-level=\"2\">Why manager burnout needs a wider response<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-happens-when-managers-are-overstretched\" data-level=\"2\">What happens when managers are overstretched?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-hr-can-better-support-managers\" data-level=\"2\">How HR can better support managers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-start-small-and-grow\" data-level=\"2\">Start small and grow<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions-about-manager-pressure-and-burnout\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions about manager pressure and burnout<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-are-managers-under-so-much-pressure\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why are managers under so much pressure?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For HR managers, workloads are becoming broader as well as heavier, with responsibility stretching across more areas of the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research<\/a> shows how quickly the role is expanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the next 5 years, 63% of HR managers expect to spend more time on digital transformation and 60% on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/strategic-workforce-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">strategic planning<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same proportion expect to do more around employee wellbeing and working practices, while 59% expect to spend more time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employee-retention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">retaining talent<\/a> and supporting skills development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That means managers are increasingly moving between very different demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They might be helping set strategy in one meeting, dealing with a wellbeing concern in the next, then trying to solve a skills gap or manage performance later that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the pressure doesn\u2019t stop with their own workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HR managers are stretched by their own expanding remit while also being asked to support line managers facing pressure elsewhere in the organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manager workload challenges are already an issue, and they\u2019re only increasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s easy to understand why managers are stressed nowadays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is why growing pressure on managers shouldn&#8217;t automatically be seen as a performance issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the remit keeps expanding, managers need the capacity, tools, and support to expand with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without them, asking people to simply become more resilient only addresses the symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Infographic: Managers under pressure<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Discover the key challenges facing HR and payroll leaders, plus practical actions, tools, and metrics to better support managers, reduce burnout risk, and build stronger leadership capability.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-a52bf91d-4576-4bbc-9109-cfab7fe7cfff\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download the Managers under pressure infographic<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-1440x810.jpeg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A man poses in front of the Sage glow line and a black background.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-1440x810.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-manager-burnout-needs-a-wider-response\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Why manager burnout needs a wider response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When managers are stretched, it can be tempting to focus on the individual: better time management, more resilience training, or another course on managing stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage\u2019s research<\/a> points to a wider support gap. 86% of HR leaders say investment in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/hr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">modern HR technology<\/a> would help them tackle their challenges, while the same proportion say this about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-ai-in-hr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HR-specific AI tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">85% point to increased upskilling in HR capabilities, and 85% to stronger support from senior business leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, almost 80% of HR managers report a greater emphasis on building leadership capability, yet many still lack the tools and training they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HR leaders also want more support, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">training<\/a>, and digital tools for line managers across the wider business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That creates a clear mismatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expectations are rising, but the support systems, training, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/hr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technology<\/a> available to managers aren&#8217;t always keeping pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can help close that gap by making effective management easier: clearer expectations, better access to information, practical training, and regular support built into the way managers work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more consistently managers are enabled, the less likely they are to reach the point where pressure has already become burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-happens-when-managers-are-overstretched\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>What happens when managers are overstretched?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sustained pressure takes its toll on manager wellbeing at work, making it harder for managers to lead with the same level of attention and judgement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When managers are constantly switching between competing priorities, important parts of the role can get squeezed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coaching gets rushed. Feedback is delayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Workload problems are easier to miss, and difficult conversations may happen later than they should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employees feel the effects too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managers shape much of the day-to-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-employee-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee experience<\/a>, from how clearly expectations are set to whether people feel supported when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a manager is stretched, providing that consistency becomes harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performance can suffer in a similar way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An overloaded manager may keep day-to-day work moving, but there\u2019s less space to step back and plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Team development can slip, while smaller problems go unnoticed and may eventually become even bigger ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-hr-can-better-support-managers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>How HR can better support managers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can&#8217;t remove every source of pressure, but you can make it easier for managers to handle by giving them better <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/hr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visibility into workload, wellbeing, and performance.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is to give them clearer expectations, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/people-analytics-hr-c-suite-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">practical tools<\/a>, and regular support before problems build up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To start with, focus on 4 areas: clearer priorities, practical tools, regular routines, and early visibility into wellbeing and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The advice in this section leans on Sage\u2019s manager enablement starter kit (below), which is included in the full <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6ababba5cddad&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ababba5cddad\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit-1440x810.jpg\" alt=\"An image of the Manager Enablement starter toolkit, sourced from the HR &amp; Payroll Leaders' Report.\" class=\"wp-image-32276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Manager-Enablement-Starter-Kit.jpg 1703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-1-give-managers-clearer-priorities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Give managers clearer priorities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When everything feels urgent, managers need help deciding what comes first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make priorities explicit, especially when new work is added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managers should know what matters most, what they\u2019re responsible for, and where they have room to make their own calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A 10-minute Monday check-in can help managers confirm priorities, identify blockers, and clarify responsibilities before the week begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use it to confirm priorities and surface anything that could get in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-2-equip-managers-with-practical-tools\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>2. Equip managers with practical tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">information managers need<\/a> easy to access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage&#8217;s manager enablement starter kit highlights 3 practical tools that help managers spot problems earlier and make more informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A team insight snapshot brings together absence, overtime, performance, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employee-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">engagement data<\/a> so managers can identify trends before they become bigger issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A workload balance heatmap helps managers compare workload against available capacity, making it easier to identify overloaded employees, underused skills, and uneven work allocation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A development path builder helps managers identify skills gaps, agree development actions, and track progress towards clear improvement goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is to give managers enough visibility to spot emerging problems and act before they escalate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-3-build-support-into-the-working-week\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>3. Build support into the working week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t wait for a quarterly review or a problem to escalate before checking how people are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s manager enablement starter kit recommends simple weekly routines: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>clarify priorities at the start of the week on Mondays, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>check workload and wellbeing midweek on Wednesdays, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>then finish by recognising progress and capturing feedback on Fridays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These don\u2019t need to become long meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even 10 minutes can help uncover workload concerns, wellbeing issues, or skills gaps before they begin affecting performance or increasing burnout risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Give managers somewhere to turn outside those check-ins too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A manager forum, HR office hours, or peer network can give them a place to raise difficult questions and learn from others facing similar situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-4-track-whether-managers-are-coping\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>4. Track whether managers are coping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check in on managers themselves, rather than relying only on how their team is performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s manager enablement starter kit suggests a manager confidence score, where managers regularly assess how comfortable they feel handling areas such as conflict, feedback, and performance conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use that alongside regular conversations about workload and priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A drop in confidence, growing workload, or repeated requests for help can give HR an early signal that someone needs more support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Infographic: Managers under pressure<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Discover the key challenges facing HR and payroll leaders, plus practical actions, tools, and metrics to better support managers, reduce burnout risk, and build stronger leadership capability.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-a52bf91d-4576-4bbc-9109-cfab7fe7cfff\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download the Managers under pressure infographic<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-1440x810.jpeg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A man poses in front of the Sage glow line and a black background.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Philip_Option2-1440x810.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-start-small-and-grow\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Start small and grow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporting managers doesn\u2019t have to mean launching a major new programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by identifying one source of pressure you can improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe priorities are unclear, or managers don\u2019t have enough visibility into workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might also find that difficult conversations are where they need the most support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then introduce one practical change to address it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That could be a clearer weekly priority check-in, a workload tool, or more regular support from HR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once that change becomes part of how managers work, build from there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aim is to create consistent support that helps managers address pressure early, before stress, burnout, and performance issues start affecting their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-want-to-put-these-ideas-into-action\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Want to put these ideas into action?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Download the <strong><a href=\"#gate-a52bf91d-4576-4bbc-9109-cfab7fe7cfff\">Managers Under Pressure infographic<\/a><\/strong> for practical tools, weekly routines, and manager support frameworks you can start using today.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sage-faq\">\n\t\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions-about-manager-pressure-and-burnout\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about manager pressure and burnout<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-items\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-36aac2db\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-causes-manager-burnout\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What causes manager burnout?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manager burnout can develop when demands keep rising without a corresponding increase in capacity or support.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A broader remit can leave managers juggling competing priorities while still being expected to support the people around them.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-29ec3615\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-what-are-the-signs-that-a-manager-is-under-too-much-pressure\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the signs that a manager is under too much pressure?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changes in workload can be an early warning sign.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rising overtime or absence may indicate that pressure is building, while slipping progress can show that a team is struggling to keep up.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talk to managers directly too.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask whether their priorities feel clear and where they\u2019re finding the role most difficult.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s manager enablement framework also recommends checking managers\u2019 confidence in areas such as feedback and performance conversations.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-cd784b9f\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-how-can-hr-support-stressed-managers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can HR support stressed managers?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by making the job easier to navigate.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managers should know what matters most and have access to the information they need without having to chase HR for every answer.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regular check-ins also give them a chance to raise workload concerns or ask for help before problems escalate.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Support works best when it becomes part of everyday management rather than something offered only when someone is already struggling.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-d1869579\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-how-can-organisations-reduce-pressure-on-managers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can organisations reduce pressure on managers?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first step is to identify where the pressure is coming from.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If unnecessary work is consuming managers\u2019 time, look for ways to remove or simplify it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If they lack confidence in parts of the role, focus support and training there.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sage\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\"> <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/resources\/hr-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research<\/a> also shows that HR leaders see better technology and stronger senior leadership support as important ways to tackle the challenges they face.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-sage-faq-item\" id=\"faq-item-0b206d3c\">\n\t<div class=\"faq-item-question\">\n\t\t\n<h3 id=\"h-how-can-technology-help-managers-manage-their-teams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can technology help managers manage their teams?<\/h3>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"faq-item-answer\">\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technology can make important team information easier to see in one place.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of piecing together different sources, managers can get a clearer view of workload, wellbeing, and performance and spot potential problems sooner.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/employee-engagement\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmployee engagement\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/employee-retention\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmployee retention\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-processes-medium-businesses\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR processes for medium businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-process\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR processes for small businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-payroll-benefits\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR, payroll and benefits\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/looking-after-your-employees\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLooking after your employees\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/midsized-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMidsized business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/small-business-saturday\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall Business Saturday\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-20175 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations tag-freelancers tag-hr-process tag-tax business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1279589946-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Woman figuring out her employment status\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1279589946-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1279589946-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1279589946-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-17T12:28:19+01:00\">17 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employment-status\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmployment status: Meaning and importance\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\t Employment status might sound like a dry topic, but it&#8217;s critical for small businesses. Learn what it means in this article.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-32157 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-trends-insights tag-employee-benefits tag-employee-engagement tag-employee-retention tag-recruit tag-hr-processes-medium-businesses tag-hr-process tag-hr-payroll-benefits tag-looking-after-your-employees business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-employee-experience\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-684x384.jpeg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-684x384.jpeg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-768x384.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/HPF_Static_Danielle_Option1-Final-1440x720.jpeg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-04T12:45:26+01:00\">4 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is employee experience and why is HR struggling to deliver it?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-32094 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership tag-efl tag-hr-process tag-hr-payroll-benefits tag-payroll business_type-small-business industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-r-banks-and-son-funerals-ltd-supports-its-community\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media card-post__media--video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/funeral-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/funeral-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/funeral-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/funeral-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__play-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"card-post__play-icon svg-icon\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 33 36\"><path d=\"M3.947.936C1.889 1.016 0 2.661 0 4.878v27.11c0 2.956 3.36 4.896 5.999 3.463l24.965-13.555c2.715-1.474 2.715-5.451 0-6.925L6 1.416a3.96 3.96 0 0 0-2.052-.48Zm.032 2.6c.232-.001.475.058.713.187L29.66 17.28c.986.535.986 1.774 0 2.309L4.692 33.144c-.952.517-1.999-.088-1.999-1.155V4.878c0-.533.261-.95.642-1.17.19-.11.411-.171.644-.172\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M5.25 3C3.74 3 2.5 4.24 2.5 5.75v12.5C2.5 19.76 3.74 21 5.25 21h14c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75V5.75C22 4.24 20.76 3 19.25 3zm0 1.5h14c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v12.5a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25h-14A1.24 1.24 0 0 1 4 18.25V5.75c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25m.25.75a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8.25 2.751A1.248 1.248 0 0 0 9 9.251v5.5c0 .442.231.849.613 1.074.389.231.846.237 1.239.021l5.001-2.751c.396-.219.646-.639.646-1.094s-.25-.876-.646-1.095l-.001-.001-5.002-2.751a1.25 1.25 0 0 0-.601-.153zM5.5 8.25a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8 1.423L14.731 12 10.5 14.328zm-5 1.577a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-19T09:00:00+01:00\">19 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">4 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow R Banks and Son Funerals Ltd supports its community\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-32002 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-ai tag-business-performance tag-circular-economy tag-construction tag-enterprise-management tag-international-trading tag-manufacturing tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-reporting tag-supply-chain tag-workplace-technology business_type-medium-sized-business industry-chemical industry-construction industry-distribution industry-food-beverage industry-healthcare industry-manufacturing industry-non-profit industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/financial-close-checklist\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1473163791-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Looking at business data\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1473163791-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1473163791-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1473163791.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-14T09:00:00+01:00\">14 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">1 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is a financial close checklist?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-31997 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-ai tag-business-performance tag-circular-economy tag-construction tag-enterprise-management tag-international-trading tag-manufacturing tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-reporting tag-supply-chain tag-workplace-technology business_type-medium-sized-business industry-chemical industry-construction industry-distribution industry-food-beverage industry-healthcare industry-manufacturing industry-non-profit industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/real-cost-of-manual-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1143476224-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1143476224-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1143476224-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1143476224-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-14T09:00:00+01:00\">14 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe real cost of manual accounts payable\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover why managers are feeling more pressure than ever and explore practical HR strategies to reduce stress, prevent burnout, and improve support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1926,"featured_media":32271,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"[{\"keyword\":\"how to support stressed managers\",\"score\":61},{\"keyword\":\"manager wellbeing\",\"score\":78},{\"keyword\":\"manager stress\",\"score\":76},{\"keyword\":\"how HR can support 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UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1926"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32256"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32288,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32256\/revisions\/32288"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/32271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=32256"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=32256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}