Survey on Management in the AI Era: Approximately 80% of Managers Experience 'Failure' Due to Insufficient Preparation for Dialogues
A survey by UMU Technology Japan reveals that while AI streamlines routine tasks, about 80% of managers have experienced failures in dialogues with subordinates due to lack of preparation. Increased burden from interpersonal tasks and insufficient learning time are emerging challenges.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 16:14 (121h 43m after Collected)
UMU Technology Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shuhei Matsuda), which operates "UMU," an AI-powered learning platform that supports performance improvement, conducted a "Survey on Management Operations and Learning Environment in the AI Era" targeting 400 managers with direct subordinates, working at companies with 100 or more employees.
The results of this survey revealed that while AI adoption has led to increased efficiency in routine tasks, managers are facing challenges such as an increased burden from interpersonal tasks and a lack of learning time. It also became clear that current management training does not directly connect to practical work, causing stress that pressures their duties, and that approximately 80% of managers have experienced failures in dialogues with subordinates due due to insufficient prior preparation.
■ Survey Results Summary
・While over half of managers feel that "routine tasks have been streamlined" by AI adoption, approximately half responded that "the difficulty and time spent on interpersonal and cognitive tasks, such as caring for subordinates, have increased."
・Regarding time for learning new skills and knowledge, over half of managers reported securing "less than 30 minutes per week (including no time at all)."
・Only 7.0% of respondents felt that "almost all content" in company-provided management training was useful for practical work. Among managers who felt that more than half of the training content was not utilized, approximately 60% felt that attending training was a stressor that pressured their actual work.
・Only 16.5% of managers always conduct simulations or practice before difficult interviews with subordinates, revealing that approximately half never do so.
・It was revealed that approximately 80% of managers have "experienced failures, such as mishandling situations," in dialogues with subordinates as a result of proceeding without sufficient prior preparation.
■ Detailed Survey Results
・Over half of managers feel the efficiency of routine tasks through AI utilization. Approximately one-quarter have not introduced AI.
In response to the question, "How much have your individual routine tasks been streamlined by the introduction and utilization of AI tools?", 16.8% answered "highly streamlined" and 36.8% answered "somewhat streamlined," indicating that over half of managers feel the efficiency of routine tasks. On the other hand, 24.5% responded that "AI has not been introduced at our company," suggesting a disparity in technology utilization among companies.
・Approximately half of managers feel that interpersonal tasks with subordinates have become "more difficult" in recent years.
Next, when asked, "How have the time and difficulty of interpersonal and cognitive tasks such as subordinate care (development, 1-on-1s, mental health support) changed in the last 2-3 years?", 19.3% answered "significantly increased" and 28.5% answered "somewhat increased," indicating that approximately half of managers feel an increased burden from interpersonal tasks.
Furthermore, while AI utilization has led to efficiency in routine tasks, over 90% of managers have not achieved efficiency in interpersonal and cognitive tasks, highlighting challenges in the area of interpersonal management.
・Over half of managers cannot secure even "30 minutes per week" for learning new skills.
When asked, "How much time are you currently able to secure per week for learning new management skills and knowledge?", the most common answer was "0 minutes (not able to secure at all)" at 31.0%, followed by "less than 30 minutes" at 20.0%. This revealed that over half of managers secure less than 30 minutes of learning time per week, indicating a lack of time for updating skills despite the increasing complexity of their work.
・Only 7.0% of respondents feel that "almost all content is useful for practical work" in existing management training.
Regarding the status of learning support from the company, when asked, "To what extent do you find the content of company-provided management training useful for practical work?", only 7.0% responded that "almost all content is useful." Combining this with "only some content is useful (31.8%)" and "almost no content is useful (12.8%)," it is clear that much of the content is not perceived as directly relevant to practical work. Additionally, 20.5% responded that "management training is not provided."
・Over 60% of those who cannot apply what they learned in training to practical work feel that attending training is a "factor that pressures their actual work."
This refers to the 280 managers who responded that more than half of the management training content was not useful for practical work.
The results of this survey revealed that while AI adoption has led to increased efficiency in routine tasks, managers are facing challenges such as an increased burden from interpersonal tasks and a lack of learning time. It also became clear that current management training does not directly connect to practical work, causing stress that pressures their duties, and that approximately 80% of managers have experienced failures in dialogues with subordinates due due to insufficient prior preparation.
■ Survey Results Summary
・While over half of managers feel that "routine tasks have been streamlined" by AI adoption, approximately half responded that "the difficulty and time spent on interpersonal and cognitive tasks, such as caring for subordinates, have increased."
・Regarding time for learning new skills and knowledge, over half of managers reported securing "less than 30 minutes per week (including no time at all)."
・Only 7.0% of respondents felt that "almost all content" in company-provided management training was useful for practical work. Among managers who felt that more than half of the training content was not utilized, approximately 60% felt that attending training was a stressor that pressured their actual work.
・Only 16.5% of managers always conduct simulations or practice before difficult interviews with subordinates, revealing that approximately half never do so.
・It was revealed that approximately 80% of managers have "experienced failures, such as mishandling situations," in dialogues with subordinates as a result of proceeding without sufficient prior preparation.
■ Detailed Survey Results
・Over half of managers feel the efficiency of routine tasks through AI utilization. Approximately one-quarter have not introduced AI.
In response to the question, "How much have your individual routine tasks been streamlined by the introduction and utilization of AI tools?", 16.8% answered "highly streamlined" and 36.8% answered "somewhat streamlined," indicating that over half of managers feel the efficiency of routine tasks. On the other hand, 24.5% responded that "AI has not been introduced at our company," suggesting a disparity in technology utilization among companies.
・Approximately half of managers feel that interpersonal tasks with subordinates have become "more difficult" in recent years.
Next, when asked, "How have the time and difficulty of interpersonal and cognitive tasks such as subordinate care (development, 1-on-1s, mental health support) changed in the last 2-3 years?", 19.3% answered "significantly increased" and 28.5% answered "somewhat increased," indicating that approximately half of managers feel an increased burden from interpersonal tasks.
Furthermore, while AI utilization has led to efficiency in routine tasks, over 90% of managers have not achieved efficiency in interpersonal and cognitive tasks, highlighting challenges in the area of interpersonal management.
・Over half of managers cannot secure even "30 minutes per week" for learning new skills.
When asked, "How much time are you currently able to secure per week for learning new management skills and knowledge?", the most common answer was "0 minutes (not able to secure at all)" at 31.0%, followed by "less than 30 minutes" at 20.0%. This revealed that over half of managers secure less than 30 minutes of learning time per week, indicating a lack of time for updating skills despite the increasing complexity of their work.
・Only 7.0% of respondents feel that "almost all content is useful for practical work" in existing management training.
Regarding the status of learning support from the company, when asked, "To what extent do you find the content of company-provided management training useful for practical work?", only 7.0% responded that "almost all content is useful." Combining this with "only some content is useful (31.8%)" and "almost no content is useful (12.8%)," it is clear that much of the content is not perceived as directly relevant to practical work. Additionally, 20.5% responded that "management training is not provided."
・Over 60% of those who cannot apply what they learned in training to practical work feel that attending training is a "factor that pressures their actual work."
This refers to the 280 managers who responded that more than half of the management training content was not useful for practical work.