'This reluctance to take on middle management roles could present challenges for employers in the future'
If it’s up to them, most Gen Z workers will not take on middle management roles, according to a recent report from Robert Walters.
Overall, 57% of these young professionals don’t want to be middle managers.
And 18% say they’ll avoid middle management altogether, even though 39% expect they will have to be middle managers at some point in their careers.
“Senior professionals have typically spent years climbing the traditional corporate ladder, giving them a greater respect for mid-level management,” says Martin Fox, managing director of Robert Walters Canada. “On the other hand, younger professionals, who often entered the workforce during a time of remote or hybrid work with a focus on digital skills, are less inclined to develop strong company loyalty.”
Overall, 60% would prefer an individual route to career progression over managing others – one that focuses on personal growth and skills accumulation rather than taking on a management role (40%).
HRD previously reported on just how important middle managers are.
Why don't people want to be managers?
Gen Z workers' reluctance to be managers holds true even though 65% of professionals believe that older generations place far more value on middle management roles than their younger peers. Only 14% think these roles are equally valued across age groups, finds Robert Walters’ survey.
Asked why they don’t want to be middle managers, Gen Z workers have the following responses:
- 67% cite high stress with little reward
- 20% cite limited decision-making power
- 8% cite reduced opportunities for personal growth
“New middle managers face a steep learning curve, managing increased workloads, being ‘always available’ to their team, while still meeting their own targets,” says Fox. “This explains why many shy away from these roles due to the overwhelming responsibility.”
Looking into the future, only 13% of Gen-Z professionals believe the traditional hierarchical structure still works. Instead, 57% would prefer a more team-based approach.
Middle managers may have a bigger role to play in addressing retention and skills gaps within organizations - but they're not being fully recognized by those on top, according to a previous report.
How do you train someone to be a manager?
However, “this reluctance to take on middle management roles could present challenges for employers in the future,” Fox warns.
To prepare people to become managers in the future, it’s important for employers to “foster a culture of learning,” says Noelle Forseth, digital marketing manager at When I Work.
To do this, employers should “offer training beyond job-specific tasks, encourage employees to learn continuously, and provide affordable training opportunities, such as online courses or book allowances,” she says.
Conflict resolution is one of the most sought-after training topics for frontline managers amid growing concerns about customer incivility, according to a previous report from Axonify.