diff --git a/src/libs/NextStepUtils.ts b/src/libs/NextStepUtils.ts
index 3b8fce748f45..66f63ddfd27f 100644
--- a/src/libs/NextStepUtils.ts
+++ b/src/libs/NextStepUtils.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type {EmptyObject} from '@src/types/utils/EmptyObject';
 import DateUtils from './DateUtils';
 import EmailUtils from './EmailUtils';
 import * as PersonalDetailsUtils from './PersonalDetailsUtils';
+import * as PolicyUtils from './PolicyUtils';
 import * as ReportUtils from './ReportUtils';
 
 let currentUserAccountID = -1;
@@ -81,12 +82,13 @@ function buildNextStep(
 
     const {policyID = '', ownerAccountID = -1, managerID = -1} = report;
     const policy = allPolicies?.[`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.POLICY}${policyID}`] ?? ({} as Policy);
-    const {submitsTo, harvesting, preventSelfApproval, autoReportingFrequency, autoReportingOffset} = policy;
+    const {harvesting, preventSelfApproval, autoReportingFrequency, autoReportingOffset} = policy;
+    const submitToAccountID = PolicyUtils.getSubmitToAccountID(policy, ownerAccountID);
     const isOwner = currentUserAccountID === ownerAccountID;
     const isManager = currentUserAccountID === managerID;
-    const isSelfApproval = currentUserAccountID === submitsTo;
+    const isSelfApproval = currentUserAccountID === submitToAccountID;
     const ownerLogin = PersonalDetailsUtils.getLoginsByAccountIDs([ownerAccountID])[0] ?? '';
-    const managerDisplayName = isSelfApproval ? 'you' : ReportUtils.getDisplayNameForParticipant(submitsTo) ?? '';
+    const managerDisplayName = isSelfApproval ? 'you' : ReportUtils.getDisplayNameForParticipant(submitToAccountID) ?? '';
     const type: ReportNextStep['type'] = 'neutral';
     let optimisticNextStep: ReportNextStep | null;
 
diff --git a/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts b/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
index cf6726ef1129..731dc5700c8e 100644
--- a/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
+++ b/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {isEmptyObject} from '@src/types/utils/EmptyObject';
 import getPolicyIDFromState from './Navigation/getPolicyIDFromState';
 import Navigation, {navigationRef} from './Navigation/Navigation';
 import type {RootStackParamList, State} from './Navigation/types';
-import {getPersonalDetailByEmail} from './PersonalDetailsUtils';
+import {getAccountIDsByLogins, getLoginsByAccountIDs, getPersonalDetailByEmail} from './PersonalDetailsUtils';
 
 type MemberEmailsToAccountIDs = Record<string, number>;
 
@@ -321,6 +321,38 @@ function isPolicyFeatureEnabled(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy> | EmptyObject, feature
     return Boolean(policy?.[featureName]);
 }
 
+function getApprovalWorkflow(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy> | EmptyObject): ValueOf<typeof CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE> {
+    if (policy?.type === CONST.POLICY.TYPE.PERSONAL) {
+        return CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.OPTIONAL;
+    }
+
+    return policy?.approvalMode ?? CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.ADVANCED;
+}
+
+function getDefaultApprover(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy> | EmptyObject): string {
+    return policy?.approver ?? policy?.owner ?? '';
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the accountID to whom the given employeeAccountID submits reports to in the given Policy.
+ */
+function getSubmitToAccountID(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy> | EmptyObject, employeeAccountID: number): number {
+    const employeeLogin = getLoginsByAccountIDs([employeeAccountID])[0];
+    const defaultApprover = getDefaultApprover(policy);
+
+    // For policy using the optional or basic workflow, the manager is the policy default approver.
+    if (([CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.OPTIONAL, CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.BASIC] as Array<ValueOf<typeof CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE>>).includes(getApprovalWorkflow(policy))) {
+        return getAccountIDsByLogins([defaultApprover])[0];
+    }
+
+    const employee = policy?.employeeList?.[employeeLogin];
+    if (!employee) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return getAccountIDsByLogins([employee.submitsTo ?? defaultApprover])[0];
+}
+
 function getPersonalPolicy() {
     return Object.values(allPolicies ?? {}).find((policy) => policy?.type === CONST.POLICY.TYPE.PERSONAL);
 }
@@ -386,6 +418,7 @@ export {
     getTaxByID,
     hasPolicyCategoriesError,
     getPolicyIDFromNavigationState,
+    getSubmitToAccountID,
     getAdminEmployees,
     getPolicy,
 };
diff --git a/src/libs/ReportUtils.ts b/src/libs/ReportUtils.ts
index f2f7bab41fae..5833f8c6fe9b 100644
--- a/src/libs/ReportUtils.ts
+++ b/src/libs/ReportUtils.ts
@@ -3468,9 +3468,10 @@ function buildOptimisticExpenseReport(chatReportID: string, policyID: string, pa
         lastVisibleActionCreated: DateUtils.getDBTime(),
     };
 
-    // The account defined in the policy submitsTo field is the approver/ manager for this report
-    if (policy?.submitsTo) {
-        expenseReport.managerID = policy.submitsTo;
+    // Get the approver/manager for this report to properly display the optimistic data
+    const submitToAccountID = PolicyUtils.getSubmitToAccountID(policy, payeeAccountID);
+    if (submitToAccountID) {
+        expenseReport.managerID = submitToAccountID;
     }
 
     const titleReportField = getTitleReportField(getReportFieldsByPolicyID(policyID) ?? {});
@@ -6010,9 +6011,9 @@ function isAllowedToApproveExpenseReport(report: OnyxEntry<Report>, approverAcco
 
 function isAllowedToSubmitDraftExpenseReport(report: OnyxEntry<Report>): boolean {
     const policy = getPolicy(report?.policyID);
-    const {submitsTo} = policy;
+    const submitToAccountID = PolicyUtils.getSubmitToAccountID(policy, report?.ownerAccountID ?? -1);
 
-    return isAllowedToApproveExpenseReport(report, submitsTo);
+    return isAllowedToApproveExpenseReport(report, submitToAccountID);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts b/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
index 3d4e6c088609..904487653b3c 100644
--- a/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
+++ b/src/libs/actions/IOU.ts
@@ -5584,7 +5584,7 @@ function submitReport(expenseReport: OnyxTypes.Report) {
 
     const parameters: SubmitReportParams = {
         reportID: expenseReport.reportID,
-        managerAccountID: policy.submitsTo ?? expenseReport.managerID,
+        managerAccountID: PolicyUtils.getSubmitToAccountID(policy, expenseReport.ownerAccountID ?? -1) ?? expenseReport.managerID,
         reportActionID: optimisticSubmittedReportAction.reportActionID,
     };
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/NextStepUtilsTest.ts b/tests/unit/NextStepUtilsTest.ts
index 072a06748da9..65ce7352b6e6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/NextStepUtilsTest.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/NextStepUtilsTest.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ describe('libs/NextStepUtils', () => {
             // Important props
             id: policyID,
             owner: currentUserEmail,
-            submitsTo: currentUserAccountID,
             harvesting: {
                 enabled: false,
             },
@@ -51,6 +50,11 @@ describe('libs/NextStepUtils', () => {
                         login: strangeEmail,
                         avatar: '',
                     },
+                    [currentUserAccountID]: {
+                        accountID: currentUserAccountID,
+                        login: currentUserEmail,
+                        avatar: '',
+                    },
                 },
                 ...policyCollectionDataSet,
             }).then(waitForBatchedUpdates);
@@ -341,8 +345,12 @@ describe('libs/NextStepUtils', () => {
                 ];
 
                 return Onyx.merge(`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.POLICY}${policyID}`, {
-                    submitsTo: currentUserAccountID,
                     preventSelfApproval: true,
+                    employeeList: {
+                        [currentUserEmail]: {
+                            submitsTo: currentUserEmail,
+                        },
+                    },
                 }).then(() => {
                     const result = NextStepUtils.buildNextStep(report, CONST.REPORT.STATUS_NUM.OPEN);
 
@@ -403,7 +411,11 @@ describe('libs/NextStepUtils', () => {
                 ];
 
                 return Onyx.merge(`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.POLICY}${policyID}`, {
-                    submitsTo: strangeAccountID,
+                    employeeList: {
+                        [currentUserEmail]: {
+                            submitsTo: strangeEmail,
+                        },
+                    },
                 }).then(() => {
                     const result = NextStepUtils.buildNextStep(report, CONST.REPORT.STATUS_NUM.SUBMITTED);
 
@@ -438,9 +450,17 @@ describe('libs/NextStepUtils', () => {
                     },
                 ];
 
-                const result = NextStepUtils.buildNextStep(report, CONST.REPORT.STATUS_NUM.SUBMITTED);
+                return Onyx.merge(`${ONYXKEYS.COLLECTION.POLICY}${policyID}`, {
+                    employeeList: {
+                        [strangeEmail]: {
+                            submitsTo: currentUserEmail,
+                        },
+                    },
+                }).then(() => {
+                    const result = NextStepUtils.buildNextStep(report, CONST.REPORT.STATUS_NUM.SUBMITTED);
 
-                expect(result).toMatchObject(optimisticNextStep);
+                    expect(result).toMatchObject(optimisticNextStep);
+                });
             });
 
             test('submit and close approval mode', () => {