Despite the trend towards flat hierarchies, the number of managers is not decreasing but rather increasing. Here are the reasons as to why. The current trend: in Switzerland, 8.7% of all employees are managers. This is according to the latest figures from July 2024 from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). This means there are more than 400,000 people in managerial positions. This is an all-time high. Managers are the sixth-largest occupational group. Why it’s surprising: the trend towards flat hierarchies has actually been in place in the economy for some time: Hierarchical levels should be reduced, everyone should be able to have a say, management should be "agile". This should actually mean fewer bosses. These figures show the opposite. The connection: It has to do with precisely this modern corporate management. Leadership expert Matthias Mölleney explains: "There are smaller units that need someone to take responsibility." Leadership is different than it used to be, but the ...
