Why “Manager” Will Soon Disappear From Our Vocabulary

Like a hangman or “knocker-upper,” the job won’t exist anymore.

Erik P.M. Vermeulen, PhD
6 min readJun 30, 2023

Photo courtesy of author

“I’ve started to hate my job!”

I was at a neighborhood BBQ last week. About thirty people showed up — a good turnout, given the time of year.

We were lucky. It was a sunny Sunday, over 68F with clear blue skies, and everyone sought a comfortable place, in the shade, under the old trees.

One of my neighbors made his confession after starting to talk about his job — a rare outburst of honesty amidst the small talk that usually dominates our social interactions.

He was asked why he was always so punctual in the morning and not in the evening.

Every day, he leaves the house at precisely 6:45 AM. But he comes home at seemingly random times after 7 PM.

He only moved to our neighborhood a few months ago, but people already noticed his daily rituals and routines. “We can set our clocks by his early morning movements,” I joked to my wife.

And yet, my neighbor’s BBQ story was one of frustration and disappointment — of an unfulfilling life.

“I expected so much more. I was so happy when they promoted me, and I was reassigned here. But now? I am not so sure. I…

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Erik P.M. Vermeulen, PhD
Erik P.M. Vermeulen, PhD

Written by Erik P.M. Vermeulen, PhD

Where Gen X memories meet today’s struggles.

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