Job Security: COVID-19 May Reduce The Need For Managers
Updated: May 29, 2020
Will Covid-19 reduce the need for managers as telework increases? If you weren't the manager that approached the big wigs of your company and proposed to manage a specific group of teleworkers, when the COVID shutdown began... you might be in search of new employment in the future. When employees are positioned for telework, autonomy reduces the need for a host of managers or even assistant managers. Whereas the physical office and the responsibility of employee oversight is immensely necessary, it's certainly not the case for many companies who are looking to maintain their telework positions once business as usual resumes. CNBC reports that Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman is uncertain about what work life will look like after the pandemic but said the bank would need “much less real estate” in the future. About 90% of Morgan Stanley’s employees have been working from home during the pandemic. “We’ve proven we can operate with no footprint,” he said in a recent Bloomberg TV interview. “Can I see a future where part of every week, certainly part of every month, a lot of our employees will be at home? Absolutely." (Akala, 2020).
When the building no longer exist, the need for site managers cease to exist. Necessary retention will be based on credentials, experience, and achievements... down right competition. Many of the responsibilities of a manager can be performed through a telework platform, as they are the middle man between the employees (personalities) and corporate or HR. But from a virtual perspective, a single manager may be seen as being more equipped to handle a larger number of employees than normal, thus reducing the number of managers that are generally needed for normal operations. Depending on the company, a manager's salary is somewhat at the top of the food chain, and by eliminating the soon to be redundant positions, many companies will reap the benefits of saving money. As Twitter announced, the early part of May, to allow many of their employees to work from home indefinitely, the chain reaction begins with a suitable telework model. If proven to be a good fit, just watch the subtle 'domino effect'.
How to get ahead of the game?
Be the first to requisition for managerial responsibilities over your company's telework community or offer to lead the telework management team.
Give your reasoning from a technology efficiency perspective with thoughts of saving money for the company.
Have a list of ideas on how you will perform your normal duties (I'd even throw in a quarterly or bi-annual tele-conference for the employees).
If you feel its necessary, negotiate your current salary or wages... maybe you'll be able to ask for a raise once productivity and profits stabilize.
If you were given the choice to telework or remain in the office, remain in the office. My theory is... it's better to be seen than unseen. This emphasizes your commitment and you'll be one of the first that will come to mind or it gives you leverage to confidently ask for #1.
I am sure, after this article, you will find more ways to get ahead of the game. Remember to stay vigilant and assertive. Give assistance, when needed, to your fellow workforce brothers and sisters, as we blindly crusade through the 'Re-opening Economy' stage of COVID-19. Don't forget to comment and keep a look out for June's article from A Psych Minute.
References.
Akala, A. (2020, May 1). More big employers are talking about permanent work-from-home positions. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/01/major-companies-talking-about-permanent-work-from-home-positions.html
Disclaimer: This article is not based on research results, but is a personal construct theory from personal observation and personal experience of current events. All articles of APM are to provoke thought and influence future research.
Author: Graduate Student of Touro University Worldwide, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Major, May 2021 expected graduate date