Middle managers are drowning, but AI offers a multifaceted solution

With AI rapidly transforming the workplace, the role of middle managers has never been more critical. As automation and AI reshape how teams operate, these managers are now tasked with not only overseeing teams, but also integrating technology into daily workflows. 

They serve as the bridge between AI-driven innovation and company execution, ensuring businesses can adapt to technological change while maintaining high performance.

However, middle managers are currently going through a major identity crisis. Not only are managerial roles becoming unsustainable and undesirable, but their future within organizational structures is under question. 

It’s time to flip the negative narrative around middle management and transform how this role both operates and delivers, and AI can help. 

The Perfect Storm Inundating Middle Managers

It’s fair to say that middle managers have a tough ride. These supervisors sit at the front line of employee management, fielding requests for annual leave or salary increases, and managing performance reviews and development programs. This, of course, all sits on top of ensuring day-to-day objectives are delivered and their teams run as smoothly as possible. 

In turn, they are held accountable for the entire performance of their team. When things run smoothly, their critical role is often overlooked. However, when things go wrong, they find themselves under scrutiny from their higher-ups. What’s more, decisions made by senior leaders—whether about new initiatives, policy changes, or organizational restructuring—ultimately fall to middle managers to communicate to their direct reports.

Depending on the size and scale of the organization, middle managers may be doing no more than delivering the message. However, when it comes to unpopular decisions in particular, employees often place their frustrations with the bearers of this bad news—their managers—regardless of whether they had any involvement in the process. 

While such frictions across the chain of command aren’t anything new, middle managers seem to be bearing the brunt of the pressure from evolving workplace trends such as hybrid work arrangements, widespread sector layoffs, or general wage stagnation. 

Managers often internalize their struggles, figuring that staying strong amid escalating responsibilities is just part of the job they’re expected to do. Yet this is leading to widespread burnout. A report from Capterra revealed that 71% of middle managers are feeling overwhelmed and stressed all the time. This burnout is especially bad for younger managers, those in giant companies, and those struggling with hybrid work setups. 

Leaders who ignore this growing problem do so at their peril, as 46% of middle managers from a 3,400-strong global survey said they were likely to quit within the year due to stress. A failure to act now leaves a ticking time bomb to deal with down the road. However, when applied strategically, AI can help leaders provide relief and unlock more success.

Rebalancing The Managerial Core With AI

The future of middle management needs to encourage current role holders to stay on board. Not only that, they also need to ensure junior employees continue to move up through the pipeline. However, Gen Z and millennials today are no longer interested in moving up. This isn’t because they don’t have leadership aspirations, but the long hours and significant extra pressure aren’t justified by the incremental salary increase in their eyes. 

While they may be content to stay in more junior roles in the short term, a lack of career progression opportunities can further accelerate staff turnover and leave new management positions unfilled.

By reducing pressure, AI can help improve work-life balance and allow managers to get back to management. While AI manages data and analytics, managers can prioritize strategy, execution, and connecting with their teams.

Here’s why placing middle managers at the center of AI implementation projects is an ideal fit.

AI Offers Middle Managers A New Starring Role

The most successful middle managers are often those who have a unique blend of technical expertise and soft skills and go beyond merely overseeing projects to interpret strategic vision into action. They also have a deep understanding of the working realities their teams face each day. 

Although senior leaders call the shots when it comes to how and where AI will be leveraged, successful delivery will hinge on the involvement of middle managers. They act as the connective tissue within the organization with a detailed knowledge base on the practicalities of their team or department.

Responsible for training and development, they are already well-positioned to educate teams on how to use AI responsibly and the organizational policies related to the tools being implemented.

It’s crucial to remember that integrating AI into live systems and processes is never a “once-and-done” task. Strong results only come from continued development that refines and improves the tool at each iteration. Without the involvement of middle management, a crucial piece of the feedback loop will be missing. 

Middle Management’s Tech-Driven Future

By leveraging AI strategically and investing in automation tools, leaders can ease the huge burden that is making middle management an unsustainable position for many professionals.

Further, as AI continues to disrupt every facet of our lives, the opportunity to be involved in development and delivery is in demand with Gen Z and millennial talent. When middle managers take a leading role in AI implementation, it helps create an attractive career path while enabling organizations to tap into the insights of the digital-native generation.

Article by Rajat Mishra, CEO of Prezent