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I'm a Microsoft employee witnessing the Great Flattening. So far, the middle manager squeeze has been a career opportunity for me.
- A Microsoft employee has shared their experience of meeting less frequently with their manager as the company reduced the number of middle managers.
- The employee's workload has increased, but they mentioned that working more independently has helped them grow in their role.
- The employee works in an AI-related role at Microsoft and discusses their experience related to the 'Great Flattening' trend, where companies reduce middle managers.
- The shift to meeting less often was due to the manager handling more direct reports as the team expanded to support the company's growing AI data center needs.
- Despite feeling burned out at times, the employee has taken on additional responsibilities without passing them on to junior colleagues.
- The experience of having less time with the manager has pushed the employee to become more self-reliant and figure things out independently.
- The employee sees the increased workload as an opportunity to work towards a senior role and showcase their ability to handle tasks independently.
- As the employee gained more experience, they found they could manage most day-to-day tasks without involving the manager, consulting them mainly for important matters.
- The team, consisting mostly of experienced members, has managed to work independently, with the employee voluntarily assisting a newer member to ensure a smooth onboarding experience.
- The employee's role transformation, although challenging, has helped them develop confidence, take ownership, and rely more on their judgment.
- The employee hopes that their increased independence and decision-making skills will benefit their career progression.
- The employee emphasizes the importance of supporting team members, even if it adds to their workload, to ensure a positive experience and effective support.
- The original conversation with the employee has been anonymized for candid discussion.
- For further interaction, a form is provided for middle managers or contact via email is available.
- The employee's narrative reflects a common trend in companies like Google, Walmart, and Microsoft, where efforts are made to reduce middle management layers and increase direct reports per manager.
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