Führung und KI: „So einen Abbau hat es in der deutschen Wirtschaft noch nie gegeben“: Das Ende des Managers als Massenberuf

Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, BMW, and Bayer are among the many corporations that are reducing their management positions, streamlining hierarchies, and cutting costs. This trend predates the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but AI is now accelerating this development. The role of middle management is becoming increasingly crucial as companies seek to control and implement AI systems.

Christine Altstötter-Gleich, a psychologist, explains how middle managers can cope with job loss and professional setbacks, and why dismissals can deeply affect one's self-esteem. On September 3, the Volkswagen supervisory board approved the CEO's plan to cut over 5,500 management positions by the end of the decade. Currently, the company employs approximately 21,500 managers worldwide, meaning nearly a quarter of these roles could disappear.

Unlike the predictable career trajectory at Volkswagen in the past, where seniority determined advancement, the company is now implementing a new level system that allows for demotions. The company is also eliminating management tiers and redistributing responsibilities. For those who remain, the pressure increases as fewer managers oversee more employees.

Responsibility grows while the number of supervisors decreases, leading to a sense of isolation at the top at Volkswagen. This move is not unique to Volkswagen; other German corporations are also undergoing extensive restructuring, particularly in the middle management sector.