Mid-life Work Crisis

AI is rewriting roles and performance expectations for middle managers, but targeted reskilling, dual career tracks and leadership development can be the way ahead

- VASUDHA MUKHERJEE

When artificial intelligence quietly began reshaping the workplace, employees thought it would mostly affect entry-level roles or highly technical jobs.

But there is another layer of employees—the project leads, team supervisors and coordinators—whose work is process-heavy, reporting-driven, and coordination-based, and which AI tools are also becoming good at.

In many organisations, AI is taking over routine project tracking, workflow management, and reporting functions that once required middle managers to manually coordinate between teams and departments. AI is also making routine work faster and more efficient, reducing workload and, therefore, demand for manpower.

“AI brings a fundamental shift. Routine tasks are automated, and middle managers see reduced responsibilities around supervision and decision-making. The challenge isn’t technical—it’s behavioural and cultural,” says Rambabu Srinivas, senior vice president and global head -talent acquisition and RMG, Tata Technologies.

Middle managers have formed the backbone of corporate operations but now, even where they continue to be an indispensable part of the organisational structure, they are facing higher expectations for productivity, with AI allowing more speed and efficiency.

As companies redefine performance metrics, and flatten organisational hierarchies, it becomes even more urgent for companies and the middle layer to find a way forward. “It is where the most upskilling needs to happen, as behavioural skills become more critical on the path to senior management. While there is risk, there is also significant opportunity,” says Roopank Chaudhary, partner at Aon, a professional services firm specialising in human capital consulting.

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT UNDER PRESSURE