2 Reasons Gen Zers Are Turning Down Promotions
Despite the fact that Generation Z (i.e., anyone born from 1997 to 2012) will begin dominating the American workforce by 2030, a recent survey found that many in that generation are avoiding promotions -- questioning whether the corporate ladder is worth climbing.
As reported by Reuters, a Deloitte survey of Gen Z and millennials found that the younger Gen Z workers are less concerned with promotions as the ultimate career goal and are more focused on flexibility, personal time and a healthy work-life balance. This shift away from pursuing advancement and instead focusing on personal fulfillment is something Reuters explored by profiling 26-year-old software engineer Kaylin Moss, who intentionally avoids promotions that would pay well over $100,000 per year.
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“I don’t want to be promoted — not at all,” Moss said.
While she has been offered roles that could potentially double her salary, Moss turned them down. She gave two main reasons for this: (1) Her work-life balance would be shattered and (2) the extra money couldn’t make up for the added stress.
Promotions Often Put Work-Life Balance at Risk
Many Gen Z workers seem deeply concerned that accepting promotions also means accepting work intrusions into their personal lives. Specifically, they view promotions not just as an opportunity to make more money, but also as a chance for work to take over their lives.
Moss told Reuters that her current remote role allows her to keep strong boundaries between her work life and home life. When describing the senior employees at her company, Moss said they are "always on" and that they're forced to work after hours and on weekends. Moss isn't looking for that in her career.
This burden of responsibility seems to be more than Gen Z wants to bear, as the Deloitte survey indicated only 6% of Gen Z respondents viewed leadership positions as a primary career goal. These younger workers prefer flexibility over burnout.
Bigger Paychecks May Not Outweigh the Stress
For Gen Z, no amount of money is worth a toxic amount of overwork. The longer hours, deeper stress and added responsibilities that come along with a promotion make them think twice about accepting.
In generations past, promotions were viewed as obvious financial wins. Now, they are perceived as a threat to personal time and mental health.
As Moss explained to Reuters, she has rejected promotion opportunities in the past because she doesn’t want her work to dominate her life. Instead, she prefers to move laterally into different roles in her company as a means to maintain autonomy over her schedule and private life.
Make no mistake: Gen Z is not rejecting ambition. Rather, they are putting as much of a premium on mental health and happiness as prior generations put on a high income.
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