Tools · The Forgotten Middle

What is middle management
actually costing you?

Most organizations are leaking revenue from a problem they haven't named yet. Middle management is the most decision-critical layer in your organization — and the most under-invested. Plug in your numbers. See what it's actually costing you.

Annual Revenue $25M
Total Headcount 250
Average Salary $75K
Strategic Misalignment
10% of revenue · HBR
Regrettable Attrition
Gallup · DDI · Mercer
Productivity Drag
30% of attrition cost

Loss breakdown

Misalignment
Attrition
Drag
Compounded Annual Loss
Directional estimate. Actual losses vary by industry, org structure, and market conditions.
— of revenue
Methodology & Sources
Assumption Value Source
Strategic misalignment loss 10% of revenue Harvard Business Review
Annual voluntary turnover rate 13% Mercer 2024 Turnover Survey
Regrettable turnover fraction 18% of exits SHRM
Replacement cost per exit 1× average salary Gallup (midpoint of 0.5–2× range)
Productivity drag 30% of attrition cost Conservative estimate; onboarding lag + team slowdown

Figures are directional estimates for illustration purposes. Actual losses vary by industry, organizational structure, and market conditions.

These aren't hypothetical losses. They're documented in Harvard Business Review, Gallup, DDI, and Mercer research — applied to your organization's size. The number your inputs generate is the cost of a structural problem that has a known fix.

Want to see what closing this gap looks like for your organization?

Start the Diagnostic →