As Middle Management Thins, L&D Must Evolve

In a recent article published in HR Executive, Purchasing Power Chief People Officer Debra Fiori explores how the rapid thinning of middle management, accelerated by AI, is reshaping how organizations develop their next generation of leaders. With Gartner predicting that 20% of organizations will use AI to flatten leadership structures by the end of 2026, the mentorship and coaching that mid-level managers once provided is at risk of disappearing for early-career employees.

Fiori shares practical ways HR and L&D teams can fill that gap: rethinking what a mentor looks like, building mentor databases and cross-functional growth paths, and offering benefits that promote belonging, including financial wellness support that signals genuine care for employees' holistic wellbeing.

‍Download the PDF to read the full article.