In the era of quiet retirement, workers are establishing firm boundaries between work and personal life. People no longer live to work, they work to live. And at the end of the day, I’m trying to take a break from the hustle and bustle of work.
The way we think about work is constantly changing. In the past, it was common for employers to offer a clear career ladder, starting in junior positions and working their way up to management positions. But now workers are increasingly disinterested in becoming managers. Instead, people are prioritizing work-life balance and their own well-being as much, if not more, than traditional career advancement.
In 2023, analytics firm Visier set out to find out how people actually feel about promotions at work. Of the 1,000 U.S. employees surveyed, only 38% said they were interested in becoming a human resources manager at their current organization. While 44% of men are interested in becoming a manager, only 32% of women said the same. Reasons cited include increased stress and pressure from taking on the role of manager.
Read more: How age discrimination impacts Millennial and Gen Z women in the workplace
This trend seems to be especially prevalent among younger generations, and the term “conscious bossing” was coined. According to research by recruitment firm Robert Walters, 52% of Gen Z professionals in the UK are not interested in moving into a middle management role during their career.
So why do people refuse management roles and how can you advance your career without becoming a manager?
“There can be a variety of reasons why employees are not interested in moving into management roles,” says Paul Holcroft, managing director at Kroner. “They may enjoy the work they do and don’t want to go into a management role that may actually be very different from the role they want and are trained for.
“Not everyone wants to manage others. They may not have the right skills or feel that being a manager doesn’t suit their personality. Perhaps they don’t want to manage others. Maybe they don’t want the added pressure that might come with having to do something.”
For some people, being a manager is stressful and the rewards are low. In today’s labor market, many employees are increasingly less loyal to their employers and more likely to move between jobs that suit their needs. Employees are also increasingly preferring personal routes to advancement rather than managing other employees, which frees them to focus on skill accumulation and personal growth. It gives you flexibility.
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Here are some things you can do to expand your skill set and advance your career.
hone your skills
Upskilling is an important way to advance your career without climbing the traditional ladder. Diversifying your skill set gives you versatile and transferable skills that can help you move in new directions in the future. For example, having soft skills such as effective communication and emotional intelligence, as well as knowing how to use AI technology, are becoming sought-after skills among employers.
Find new projects
If you don’t want a promotion but want a change, you can talk to your boss about taking on different responsibilities at work or see if you’re assigned roles on different teams. Most skills are transferable, so you can apply them to different projects.
Read more: How to tell if your employer is “agate-washing”
join a course
Look for learning opportunities to develop your skills. You can find courses on Coursera. If you’re lucky, your employer may agree to take you on a free training course. Once you find a training program that looks good, highlight how it will benefit your business and reassure your employer that it won’t affect your current job.
Look for businesses with a flat team-based structure
Only 14% of Gen Z professionals believe traditional hierarchical structures are still fit for purpose. Meanwhile, around 30% say they would choose a flat, team-based structure if given the choice. Start-ups and start-ups are increasingly moving towards flat structures, often giving employees greater autonomy within their roles. When management levels are reduced, employees have more say in company decisions.
“Organizations need to recognize that not all employees view a promotion as a transition to management,” says Holcroft. “This can help retain employees who look for development opportunities elsewhere. This may include providing opportunities to work on other projects or other areas of the business.”
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