Why Millennials and Gen Zs don’t want to become managers

Millennials and Gen Zs have been constantly judged as lazy by older generations. But the truth is that these younger groups of people give great value to work-life balance and have a different definition of success than Boomers or Gen X.

For Generation X and Baby Boomers, achieving a management position was considered the pinnacle of success, with promises of greater responsibilities, increased salary, status and power over a team.

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However, the old corporate career model, focused on hierarchical advancement and traditional management positions, is undergoing a complete transformation.

A recent survey by CoderPad, an interview platform, revealed that 36% of technology professionals do not want to take on management roles, Forbes magazine reported.

Among Harvard University students, only 2% aim to climb the corporate ladder. This is what Gorick Ng, writer and career counselor at the same University, quoted by Você RH magazine, found.

Data shows that the majority of young people have aspirations that transcend traditional professional success. According to the American consulting company, Deloitte, this change in behavior is related to the search for a more balanced life, without so much pressure.

According to a market analysis carried out by Deloitte, 40% of managers suffer from serious work-related stress, compared to 35% of their subordinates, Business Insider reported.

It seems that the generations of millennials (Y) and centennials (Z) are not willing to move up the career ladder, not even with a salary increase, in exchange for more stress, more responsibilities and working hours.

The relationship of these generations with work is marked by characteristics and expectations that differentiate them from previous ones, such as valuing the balance between personal and professional life.

This means they are not willing to sacrifice their personal life for the sake of their career. On the contrary, they prioritize free time and flexible schedules.

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Another important factor for young professionals is the search for meaning and purpose. They want the company's values to be aligned with their ideals. There's no point in having a good position if the job doesn’t align with your values.

On the other hand, it is worth highlighting that this does not mean that young workers do not want to grow. In fact, they want to actively participate in the company's decisions, as well as have more autonomy, without having to assume the role of a boss.

Leadership positions have the difficult mission of managing people, coordinating teams and achieving objectives. All this in a world that is constantly changing and, generally, under a lot of pressure.

Photo: Pexels - Andrea Piacquadio

Therefore, it is necessary to take care of seniors. Quoted by Business Insider, Andrea Derler, director of research and customer value at Visier, warned companies: Negligence in investing in training and supporting leaders can create a dangerous succession gap.

Furthermore, employees who are pressured by their superiors or peers to take on a new role are doomed to perform mediocrely, Tacy Byham, president of US-based human resources consultancy DDI, told the BBC.

Photo: Pexels - Gustavo Fring

Instead of forcing someone to change roles, companies should ideally identify each employee's talents and interests to find opportunities that fit their skills and motivations.

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Times have changed. Being the first to arrive or the last to leave the office adds neither more nor less value to a professional. Companies that want to retain new generations need to be attentive to their needs and expectations, offering a flexible, innovative and meaningful work environment.