The Real Future of Managers in 2026 (and Why Most HR Teams Aren’t Ready)
In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we speak with Sandrine GIRSZYN , Chief Human Resources Officer Headquarters at AXA , about redefining the role of the manager in a fast-changing world. Sandrine explains how managers have become the crucial layer holding transformation, well-being, and performance together, and why HR must put them back at the center of organizational strategy.
She shares how AXA is supporting more than 4,000 managers worldwide through a human-centered approach built on listening, co-creation, and trust. Rather than relying solely on AI or digital training, Sandrine reveals how in-person connection, community, and peer learning have become AXA’s secret to real development.
From creating a “People Link” community to launching a global coaching platform, this episode is a roadmap for every HR leader trying to upskill managers while keeping the human touch alive.
Watch the full episode by clicking below ⬇️
Managers today face paradoxes every day: they must care for their teams while driving performance. We can’t just expect them to manage this alone; HR must listen first and build what they truly need.
In this episode, Sandrine discusses:
🔮 What advice Sandrine has for future HR leaders:
Technology is great, but connection is greater. We run workshops in person because people need to feel part of something bigger - not just click through screens.
In the past, HR built management programs based on our vision. Now, we start by asking managers directly: what’s hard, what helps, and what needs to change?
📚 You might be interested in:
This episode covered so many important topics, here's an additional resource for you to dive a bit deeper:
🙏 We couldn't do it without you!
Thank you Sandrine GIRSZYN for sharing your time, expertise, and vision with our listeners.
Also our episode and series partner, Workhuman and their brilliant team Eric Mosley , Gavin Collins , Daniel Anderson , Lynette Silva Heelan , Clare Moncrieff , KeyAnna Schmiedl , Saima Rashid , Emily Di Cintio , Tom Vitkofsky , Jim O'Dea , Grant Beckett , Tom Libretto , Sarah Whitman , Jonathan Hyland , Steve Cromwell , Katy Ware , Niamh Graham , Jennifer Reimert, CCP , Orlagh Lynch , Kevin Heinzelman , Jesse Harriott , Nicholas Solis and Alyssa Johnson .
None of this would be possible without Lisa Ryzhykova, Shane Kemp, James Elwell, Kenneth Browne, Patryk Pinkowski and the team at HR Leaders for bringing the podcast to life.
A big Thank you to our previous guests:
Upcoming Guests Include:
To name a few :)
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1wVery insightful, it shows the reality of middle managers in the corporate world. Thanks for sharing!
Front-line and middle managers have always been at the center of my leadership philosophy because they carry the weight of culture more than anyone else. They set the tone for trust, relationships, and accountability… and when they’re stretched thin, the entire system feels it. This article captures the pressure they face perfectly. We keep piling on responsibilities without giving them the tools, time, or community to navigate the complexity. When managers break, teams break… and productivity follows. The organizations that get this right build manager support into the operating system, not just the training calendar. They listen, they coach in real time, and they use technology to remove noise so managers can actually lead people instead of drowning in tasks. In every large transformation I’ve led, investing in these leaders first has been the difference between short-term activity and long-term adoption. When you equip the managers who shape daily experience, everything else accelerates.
Sandrine, so nice to see you and Hoai Thu last month. Love how you’re rebuilding support around their real, human experience. Managers aren’t the problem, they’re the pressure point we’ve ignored for too long.
This was a great convo! And to her point about access to real coaches that meet real needs and drive real change, I especially want to say YAY! And let's make sure that's not just coaching on systems, SOPs, and software, but also interpersonal coaching -- how to not be an SOB while managing SOPs! 😊
Middle managers really do carry the weight of both strategy and empathy. Great episode highlighting what real transformation should look like.