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In the era of quiet quitting, workers are putting firm boundaries in place between their work and personal lives. People are no longer living to work, they’re working to live – and at the end of the day, they’re switching off from the corporate grind.
The way we think about work is constantly changing. It used to be that employers offered a clear career ladder, where you started in a junior role and worked your way up the rungs to a managerial position. But now, workers are increasingly disinterested in becoming managers. Instead, people are prioritising their work-life balance and their wellbeing as much as – if not more than – traditional career advancement.
In 2023, the analytics firm Visier set about finding out how people actually felt about climbing the ranks at work. Of the 1,000 US employees polled, only 38% said they were interested in becoming a people manager at their current organisation. While 44% of men were interested in becoming managers, only 32% of women said the same. Among the reasons cited were the increased stress and pressure of taking on a manager role.
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The trend appears to be particularly prevalent among younger generations, giving rise to the term ‘conscious unbossing’. According to a survey by the recruitment company Robert Walters, 52% of UK Gen Z professionals aren’t interested in taking on a middle-management position in their career.
So why are people rejecting managerial roles – and what can you do to progress in your career without becoming a manager?
“There could be many different reasons why workers are less interested in moving into managerial positions,” says Paul Holcroft, managing director at Croner. “They may enjoy the job they are doing and don’t want to move into a managerial position which could in reality be very different to the role that they want and are trained to do.
“Not everyone will want to manage others – they may not have the right sort of skills or feel that being a manager does not align with their personality. It may be that they do not want the additional pressure that could come with having to manage others.”
For some, being a manager is high stress, low reward. In the current labour market, many employees are increasingly less loyal to their employers – and are more likely to hop between jobs that suit their needs. Also, workers are increasingly favouring an individual route to progression instead of managing others, which allows them to focus on accumulating skills and personal growth, and provides flexibility.
Here are some things you can do to widen your skillset and progress in your career.
Develop your skills
Upskilling is a key way to progress in your career without climbing the traditional ladder. Diversifying your skillset will give you versatile and transferable skills which can help to move you in a new direction in the future. For example, having soft skills – like communicating effectively or having emotional intelligence – and knowing how to use AI technology are becoming a sought-after skills among employers.
Seek out new projects
If you don’t want a promotion but you do want a change, you could approach your boss about taking on different responsibilities at work – or see if there are roles going in different teams. Most skills are transferable, which means you can apply them to different projects.
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Join a course
Look for learning opportunities to develop your craft. You can find courses on Coursera, or if you’re lucky, your employer may agree to send you on a training course for free. If you spot a training programme that looks good, make your case to your employer by highlighting how it will benefit the business, and reassuring them that it won’t affect your current work.
Look for businesses with a flat, team-based structure
Only 14% of Gen Z professionals think the traditional hierarchical structure is still fit-for-purpose. Meanwhile, about 30% would opt for a flat, team-based structure if given the choice. Newer businesses and start-ups are increasingly turning to flat structures, which often gives employees greater autonomy within their roles. With fewer managerial levels, employees have more of a say in company decisions.
“Organisations need to be aware that not all employees see progression as moving into managerial roles,” says Holcroft. “This could aid the retention of employees who may otherwise look for development opportunities elsewhere. This could include offering training to develop employees or providing them with opportunities to work on other projects, or other areas of the business, that interest and allow them to flourish.”
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