“Why would you want to become a manager?”
For decades the corporate hierarchy was a clear path. What we all wanted in a job was to climb up the ladder to finally achieve that promotion we had our eyes on.
But today, Gen Zs don’t fancy the stressful “work hard and get promoted” etiquette of reaching leadership positions. They’re speaking out loud and making this bold move which has opposed the traditional workplace belief system.
So what’s the tea? Why is the younger generation rewriting the script?
Following the heart, not the title
This rebellious career move followed by the generation that has always questioned societal norms is coming into play more and more in offices and workspaces. Gen Z is settling for their work cubicles over the corner office, and for intentions that extend beyond the conventional pursuit of monetary gain.
One driving reason could be that Gen Z is all about what makes their hearts race. You know, work that satisfies their mind and body, rather than just their paychecks? This generation is out for the feeling of contentment, especially doing a job that makes a mark and a difference for themselves and their colleagues.
Finding purpose and a passion in what they earn for is more important to them now, than a supervisor position on their CVs. TikToker @littlemisstrena in a viral video admitted that for her, 2 jobs ago she believed in career advancements and working your way up to the top, and that is what she did. Eventually, she became a supervisor.
However, with a more demanding workload and a meagre “dollar pay bump”, the TikToker claimed that the job caused her more stress than it provided benefits.
She reported that her expertise as a supervisor was hardly ever highlighted in job interviews and that it didn’t help her résumé either: “I don’t think at any point that was even brought up in any of my interviews. I don’t talk about it with people I work with now,” she continued. “I’m like, it didn’t give me the bump I thought it was going to for all the extra stress”.
So, it’s more than just climbing higher up the corporate pyramid. It’s about climbing in the right direction.
Work hard, play harder—and smarter
Work-life balance is the name of the game for Gen Z. Flexibility comes as an added benefit as well when these young ones are on the lookout for job roles. Gen Z isn’t too keen on sacrificing their personal lives for a good-looking title.
So, when Gen Z workers are not employed in a setting that promotes work-life balance, they choose between two basic options.
They either decide to give up or “quiet quit”.
The first option is the typical outcome of an employee submitting a resignation letter because they are dissatisfied with their position. The second choice explains the idea of doing as little as possible at work; the word gained popularity after a well-known TikTok video.
Gen Z seems to be following the pattern of not taking on more work than necessary, even though this is nothing new. This helps them avoid feeling overburdened by their workload.
Another TikTok user, Kyyah Abdul, stated in a post on the platform that she believes Gen Z and millennials are not interested in manager posts since they don’t want “a glorified unpaid internship”. The compensation for the workload, she continued, isn’t “worth the work that you’re doing”.
“So you work three times as much as an associate did before becoming a manager, and you realise, hold on, I only get a full doubloon?” stated Abdul.
People reach a turning point in their careers when they realise: “You know what? I will accept and continue to roll with it as I am aware that this internship will help me advance to the next level where I’ll be making more money than just half a doubloon as an employee.”
A promotion may come with a higher corporate title and some respect, but if it comes with 80-hour workweeks, Gen Z is ready to say adios. Happiness over hierarchy, always.
Mind over ladder; mental health is wealth
If you know Gen Z, they’re all about advocating for mental health and well-being. Turning down promotions is a strategic move to safeguard their physical and mental health, and steer clear of burnout that may come hand-in-hand with higher managerial positions.
Prioritising roles that nurture work-life balance and having seen the damaging consequences of stress and burnout on more senior generations is what has steered their decision to be more grounded in a role that benefits them in both aspects of their lives from the beginning of their careers, rather than being a monotonous task that they regret taking up.
Managerial roles are more or less perceived as “the company assigning someone to babysit their subordinates’’ according to young people one recruiter told Business Insider in an interview. The responsibility of overseeing other employees and worrying about how they are progressing, along with the added workload and working hours with limited time to rewind and immerse in one’s personal life can take a negative toll on mental health.
Start-up dreams and side hustle schemes
The entrepreneurial bug has bitten Gen Z hard. Climbing up the business ladder? Thank you very much, but they would much prefer to construct their own ladder.
“There’s evidence that they are more interested in, if not being an entrepreneur, having entrepreneurial skills, mindset, and approach to their careers,” said Melanie Buford, author, leadership educator, career coach, and lead editor of the new book “Mapping the Future of Undergraduate Career Education.”
This generation is full of dreams and goals mostly based on being their own boss and critic. Turning down such positions is their way of gearing up for a future where their own ventures and self-branding take centre stage, where having direct control and impact can shape their professional destinies.
It could help managers understand, retain, and eventually promote Gen Zs when they realise that they don’t want to be promoted. Many of them choose simpler things like transparency, mentorship, and an entrepreneurial culture.
If a fatter paycheck isn’t as attractive to Gen Zs anymore…
Then saying “no” has never been easier for this group of young adults.
(Tashia Bernardus)