Chasing promotions is seemingly not for Gen Z. Instead, career minimalism appears to lead the way. Professional success can take on many forms, but most often, it boils down to climbing up the professional ladder into higher positions of power. This still holds true today, with Gen Zers not simply choosing to take a back seat in their own careers but actively working on growth. The difference with the career minimalist Gen Z is that this growth isn’t arising out of a desire for power and authority, but merely a mission to do what they have to in order to guarantee financial success.
Moving into management positions no longer holds any inherent appeal, with workers championing stability and security over the status that comes with higher roles. Some call this approach lazy, and accuse workers of being too laid back in an ambition-driven world. However, Gen Z is redefining career growth on their own terms, making their way towards milestones that are of personal relevance to them. Understanding their mindset is the only way to understand the right way to manage their talent at work.
Gen Z workers are choosing career minimalism over traditional workplace goals, and understanding their priorities can help workplaces run more smoothly. (Image: Pexels)
Gen Z is Choosing Career Minimalism Over Flashy Rewards
What is career minimalism? The term refers to Gen Z workers reducing the emphasis on career milestones and accolades to fortify their career and focusing more on ways to ensure long-term employability. Generation Z isn’t immune to the allure of riches and wealth that come with career success, but the path to these goals is as much of a priority to these workers.
A Glassdoor survey recently showed that 68% of Gen Z workers would have no interest in pursuing management roles if they weren’t tied to a higher paycheck or title. In the past, the honor of taking on these positions presented just as much of a reward as the benefits that came with it. For workers today, the promise of stability is largely enough.
Gen Z’s career minimalism appears to be less about the prestige of a role that gets them closer to the top of a ladder and instead centers around a “career lily pad” where they can leapfrog from opportunity to opportunity as long as it guarantees them employment.
Gen Z Is Redefining Its Career Goals, but the Process Is a Complex One
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of the younger generation’s career minimalism. Gen Z’s commitment to “conscious unbossing” has come up before, but it’s hard to refrain from managerial roles without leaving your career to stagnate. Despite their resistance, the only way to grow is upwards, and Gen Z is set to make up 1 in 10 managers this year. The ratio of their participation will only grow as more of these workers gain seniority in their careers and take over from the Millennials who hold some of these posts.
As Glassdoor explains, Gen Z’s work goals are no longer motivated by flashy jobs in tech and consulting. Instead, many are widening their horizons, looking towards jobs where there are more opportunities to branch out. With AI threatening to take over many roles, particularly in tech, Gen Z workers are looking for AI-proof careers instead. For many Gen Zers who are rethinking what success looks like, it isn’t just about upward mobility, but horizontal diversification as well, with side hustles and small jobs offering ways for them to grow.
Blue-collar work and jobs in hospitality and medicine, which are harder to replace with technology, are growing in popularity. These industries appear to guarantee a longer shelf-life for their careers, giving them a chance to move around with the shifts in the industry more freely. Their pragmatic approach gives us a lot to consider, with their finger still adamantly poised over career priorities like a work-life balance and general flexibility.
Understanding Gen Z as Career Minimalists May Be Helpful While Managing Them
Gen Z’s career minimalism may look like a trend or a performative gesture when the roads upwards are already closed off to them, but their habits suggest this isn’t a fad. Indeed, chasing promotions and career titles is currently a prospect that is out of reach for many workers. Gen X workers and those drawing closer to retirement are finding it harder to secure the resources they need to step down from the workforce. This leaves many positions at the top filled, with Millennials next in line to take over. AI is reshaping entry-level roles, complicating any hope for sustained career growth.
Taking these circumstances as they come, career minimalist Gen Z are hoping to find work where they can. They may have a non-traditional attitude towards employment and workplace professionalism, but most of it appears to stem from a desire to be their authentic selves at work.
Is There Room to Collaborate Better with Gen Z?
From turning social media into a career to building side businesses of their own, most appear willing to do what it takes to keep their own paths to employment free of clutter. This attitude is a fresh take that businesses can benefit from supporting.
This technologically savvy generation has a lot to offer, and they aren’t easily impressed by a corner office. They are looking for mentorship, guarantees of well-being, genuine flexibility, and overall financial freedom. With an alternative set of benefits and support tools to impress them, employers could see considerable success. Gen Z may be unwilling to make their careers their identity, but they are the future of the workforce and are willing to make the most of opportunities presented to them.
What do you think about the Gen Z shift towards career minimalism? Share your thoughts and experiences with Gen Z workers with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.