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

The landscape of management roles within major German corporations is undergoing a significant transformation. Companies like Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, BMW and Bayer are streamlining hierarchies and cutting thousands of management positions in order to reduce costs and refine organizational structures. This shift predates the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) but AI is accelerating the process.

The role of middle management is expected to become increasingly important as companies seek personnel to oversee and implement AI solutions.

Psychologist Christine Altstötter-Gleich sheds light on how middle managers can cope with job loss and professional setbacks, emphasizing the potential impact of such changes on self-esteem. On September 3rd, a pivotal day in Volkswagen's history, the supervisory board approved the chairman's plan to streamline the company's management structure, aiming for over 5,500 managerial positions to be eliminated across the entire group by the end of the decade.

Currently, Volkswagen employs approximately 21,500 managers worldwide, meaning nearly one in four roles could be eliminated.

Traditionally, career advancement at Volkswagen was a fairly predictable process, with promotions granted for demonstrated performance and minimal consequences for underperformance. However, the company aims to redefine its management hierarchy, introducing a new system that allows for reversals and is less rigid. This change will also result in the elimination of management levels and a redistribution of responsibilities, increasing the workload for those remaining in managerial positions.

The pressure on top-level executives will intensify as fewer managers are responsible for larger numbers of employees, leading to a sense of isolation at the top of Volkswagen. This development is not unique to Volkswagen; other German corporations are also aggressively reducing workforce positions, particularly at the middle management level.