The evolution of the middle manager: The prerogative to seize

One middle management expert spoke about the shifts that HR departments are experiencing in the face of the AI transformation and the redefinition of the role of middle managers.

In a recent HR Leader Podcast episode, Bold HR founder, middle management expert and author Rebecca Houghton (pictured) noted that many change management exercises, such as psychosocial hazards, the right to disconnect, flexible working policies, and the AI transformation, “fall squarely in the lap of HR”.

From ‘old HR’ to ‘new HR’

Houghton said that this year, there will be a shift from the “old HR” to the “new HR” as AI slowly takes over aspects of the profession, such as payroll and HR admin, with “new HR’s” role being to influence and get inside of their executives’ heads.

With growing time pressures, expanding teams and the need to spend more time with each employee – especially as the younger generation begins to enter the workforce – Houghton stressed that HR departments must leverage AI to free up more time to spend on managing psychosocial hazards.

“We’re in that classic ‘the plumber’s tap that drips’, we’re brilliant at doing it for other people and really poor at looking after ourselves. And I think [this] year, we have to look after ourselves,” Houghton said.

HR leadership

Houghton further emphasised that HR departments must look to education and how they can develop themselves, noting that learning and development is lacking for HR professionals.

Hence, she emphasised the need for HR to be business-centric and learn the business landscape to change conversations at a cultural level.

“If we’re not consciously leaning into owning that conversation, it’s going to happen to us”, and thus there is the prerogative to “seize”, Houghton said.

To influence people, she said, HR departments need to be more visible, more productive, more directive, manage expectations, conflict and have the tools to improve all of these outcomes.

“It’s such a heavy piece of lifting, and we’ve got the right opportunity to lead it”.

HR managers need to look at the workplace environment, which is one part of the “formula for success” – performance is down to behaviour and environment.

“Our formula for performance is always your personal sets of behaviours and the environment that you’re applying them in,” Houghton said.

“HR is in this unique position where they can actually change the environment as well as their own behaviours.”

“[By] leaning into the organisation design piece and really push hard on that side of things, [then HR can] get the whole system singing properly.”