Technology
Tech managers trim career coaching as AI and team expansion increase workloads
Broader manager-to-employee ratios and accelerated production schedules leave less room for long-term career development in tech.
The short version
- Tech companies are expanding manager-to-employee ratios and asking engineering managers to perform technical tasks alongside management duties.
- The push for faster AI-driven development has led managers to cancel or reduce regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports.
- Industry executives note management is becoming more tactical, with companies relying more on annual reviews or on-the-fly feedback for employee growth.
Key facts
- Software engineering managers report juggling larger teams and technical tasks like coding alongside their managerial duties.[Business Insider]
- HR platform Deel increased its target employee-to-manager ratio from 8–10 up to 12–15, citing AI's ability to absorb administrative burdens.[Business Insider]
- Startup manager Mitchell Kosowski oversees approximately 20 direct reports while spending roughly five hours daily in meetings and continuing to code.[Business Insider]
- Companies such as Spellbook rely on midyear and annual formal evaluations to ensure discussions about long-term career growth still take place.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The long-term impact of wider manager spans of control on employee retention and talent pipelines remains unquantified.[Business Insider]
Sources
- Why your boss doesn't seem to care about your tech career anymoreBusiness Insider metered