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

Deutsche Unternehmen, darunter Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, BMW und Bayer, are cutting thousands of management positions in an effort to streamline hierarchies and reduce costs. This restructuring trend has been ongoing long before the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but AI is accelerating the process. Future leaders will primarily be needed to oversee and implement AI within their organizations.

The middle management might play a central role in navigating job losses and career setbacks. Christine Altstötter-Gleich, a psychologist, discusses how executives can cope with job loss and why dismissals often leave a lasting impact on self-worth in an exclusive interview. On September 3rd, the Volkswagen supervisory board approved the CEO's plan to cut over 5,500 managerial roles, bringing the total worldwide to around 21,500 managers.

Almost a quarter of these positions could disappear by the end of the decade. Traditionally, a clear career path existed at Volkswagen: high performers rose, while underperformers remained largely untouched. However, Blume aims to streamline the hierarchy further, replacing the existing management circles with a new level system that allows for promotions and demotions.

Simultaneously, managerial levels will be eliminated, and responsibilities will be redistributed. Those who remain will face increased pressure, managing more employees with fewer supervisors. Responsibility grows, while the number of managers decreases, creating a sense of isolation at the top of the company. Volkswagen is not the only German company undergoing extensive restructuring, as many others are also cutting positions, especially in the middle management.