Middle manager: I sort out the chaos those above me don't even know they've created. One tsunami is bad enough, but two is devastating. A ‘skills tsunami’ and a ‘silver tsunami’ are set to hit the workforce resulting in job vacancies that will outnumber job seekers by 2.5 million. And, guess who will be integral in navigating companies through these choppy seas? It's the underappreciated middle manager.
AI is becoming more of a factor as it makes inroads into every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, as companies implement AI, they haven't really thought through how to make it all work. Much of it is based on wishful thinking and the fallacy that AI by itself will not only magically boost efficiency and productivity, but also require fewer humans. In fact, the opposite is true. Human involvement and oversight is more important than ever.
That poses a significant problem due to the lack of training and education that the current workforce in AI technology. At the same time, millions of older workers are leaving the workforce as they head into retirement. One such transition alone poses enormous challenges to the economy and sustained productivity. But when you combine a deficiency in skills along with the institutional loss of talent and knowledge, productivity is impacted and ultimately standard of living. The negative impact of the dual workplace tsunamis is further exacerbated by companies who are filtering out younger workers and seasoned workers leaving an extremely narrow talent pool.
The key to all this may lie with middle management. If anything, that may mean redefining and empowering middle managers even more, which unfortunately is counter to what is happening today. Often treated as the enforcer of policies with little authority in providing strategic input and feedback, managers have often been undermined and overlooked. With dual tsunamis on the way for the workforce, managers will play a key role in delivering value.
Directly tied to this is the need for companies to reskill their current workforce. For far too long, companies haven't put enough resources into developing and nurturing their workers. In order to overcome the ongoing talent shortages, a greater emphasis is needed in professional development along with development in skills and technology. Companies no longer have a choice in the matter because their success depends on it https://lnkd.in/g7ETwtHm #jobs #talent #workforce #artificialintelligence #culture #management #professionaldevelopment #leadership
