Why are Gen Z not interested in management?

What do you think about taking on a managerial role?

In this article Megan reviews recent research about Gen Z and their hesitancy about entering into management.

“A new survey by Robert Walters reveals that many Gen Z professionals are not interested in traditional middle management roles. In fact, 52% of Gen Z workers actively avoid these roles, while only 36% believe they may have to pursue them at some point. The younger generation's preference leans heavily toward career paths focused on individual growth and skill-building, with 72% expressing a desire to advance in roles centered on personal development over managing teams.”

The new trend has been coined “conscious unbossing” and perhaps is unsurprising given that in a 2023 survey, about 25% of middle managers said they “feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities” and a similar percentage said they don’t feel mentally engaged at work. As a result just under 40% of people said they would pass up a promotion to manager, citing workload and stress, and work-life balance as more important.

It’s important to remember that this research doesn’t mean that Gen Z are not ambitious or do not take their careers seriously, it is simply that they do not wish to necessarily progress via more traditional managerial roles. According to LinkedIn, the second fastest job title amongst Gen Z is ‘founder’ a nod perhaps to a more self driven, entrepreneurial spirit.

Though not limited to just Gen Z, for any of us, when taking on a new role, it is always important to remain true to yourself and what you want for your career - and resisting the urge to take on managerial roles just because you have been led to believe this is the only way to ‘progress’ your career.

This research also poses an interesting dilemma for businesses as they look at developing their pipeline of future managers. With businesses needing to rethink their strategies and coming up with new ways to make middle management more attractive to younger generations as they progress their way through businesses.

For more tips and ideas on How to grow your career without managing people, check our our Insights article here.