According to research, Gen Z workers avoid taking on leadership positions. How can organizations create rewarding development paths for young employees that do not necessarily include management or, if they are, provide a better balance between work and life? Bruce Watt examines the trend.
Leadership is more demanding than ever. DDI Global Leadership Forecast 2025 revealed that 71% leaders experience significant stress as they perform their duties, while only 30% believe they have the time to fulfill their responsibilities.
This is something that Generation Z has taken note of. This group of people, who were born between 1997 and 2010 is increasingly demonstrating a preference for non-traditional leadership roles. They also take a more linear approach to career advancement.
Some professionals call it ‘conscious debossing.’ This trend is alarming business organizations.
In our survey, we also found that up to 80% of HR professionals lack confidence in their leadership pipelines.
Our leadership survey reveals that Gen Z is a generation that has resisted leadership positions.
For example, we found that Gen Z was 1.7 times as likely to leave leadership positions in order to protect its own wellbeing than the previous generations.
Businesses must first understand why conscious unbossing is happening and then recalibrate their leadership strategy to align with the values of younger employees.
What is conscious debossing?
The previous generations were more likely to follow a linear career path, climbing the corporate ladder while accepting increasing responsibility.
Leadership roles are undoubtedly more demanding, but individuals are compensated by higher salaries, attractive benefits, and the elevated status that comes with executive positions.
Unbossing consciously is the rejection of a career path that has been well-trodden for many years. It’s a conscious decision to steer clear of leadership roles in favour of other career paths.
It can be a case of individuals choosing to forgo promotions in favour of focusing on their own contribution (often as specialists).
It is truly concerning that business leaders who chose this path cite stress levels and an unequal balance between work-life of their managers for their decision.
Gen Z employees appear to also prefer flatter organisational structure, collaborative, peer driven work environments, and purposeful roles.
After the Covid scandal, remote and hybrid models of work have become more common, allowing employees to control their own schedules and workflows. This is what many young workers have grown up with.
Flexible Options
They questioned traditional leadership when rigid structures and mandates to return to office reemerged. Why does it matter when, where, or how work gets done?
Gen Z also has choices. Independent work is now more feasible than ever thanks to the gig economy and creator platforms.
Diversifying income streams is a common practice among young professionals. This reduces their dependency on one employer and their willingness to climb the traditional corporate ladder.
This means that companies must rethink their leadership strategies. It is important to reimagine the role of leadership so that it aligns with the work style and values of Gen Z.
“Companies must offer flexible, personalised development programmes that are tailored to employees’ goals and values.”
It is not about avoiding responsibility. Instead, it’s about rejecting a leadership style they see as unsustainable.
Here are some ways that companies can recalibrate their leadership styles to combat conscious unbossing.
1. Find the purpose of your team
Gen Z prioritizes a sense purpose. Leaders must become ‘purpose-ambassadors’ in order to help their teams find meaning in their work, which will make them more interested in growth in leadership.
Leaders need to be trained in the art of communicating a clear sense purpose and developing emotional intelligence, so that they can have meaningful discussions about the values, the sense of fulfillment, and the impact of Gen Z employees.
It is important to align employees with the mission of the company and make leadership roles more appealing.
2. Supporting wellbeing and sustainable leadership
Young employees will continue rejecting leadership if it is synonymous with burnout.
Organizations should support the wellbeing of their leaders by creating leadership models that are sustainable and support both personal and professional goals. Encourage healthy work habits such as setting realistic deadlines and limiting emails after hours.
These behaviours, combined with an environment that values vulnerability and psychological security, set the tone for an organisation to value wellbeing over results.
Leaders who feel supported and safe are more likely than not to remain in their positions and to be satisfied with them. They will also inspire the next generation of leaders to follow suit.
3. Rethinking development
Gen Z workers place more importance on personal development than career advancement. This requires a change in the way organisations develop emerging and high potential talent.
Businesses must offer flexible, personalised development programmes that are tailored to the employees’ career goals and values.
These programmes should also include simulations, collaborative learning, and more formal training, all framed in real-world scenarios that appeal to the younger workforce.
They are simply asking for more relevant and personalized ways to learn. Companies can use this to turn changing attitudes into a chance for their leadership pipeline by providing it.
4. Create a culture that values autonomy
To support Gen Z’s desire for autonomy, leadership structures need to evolve. It is important to train managers on effective delegation so their teams can feel empowered and develop their skills.
It is important to create a work environment that is flexible and allows for teamwork while still allowing independence.
Innovating in settings without leaders is also encouraged, as it allows them to take informal leadership roles before taking on formal leadership roles.
Leadership becomes a natural progression when employees feel empowered and take responsibility for their work.
Leadership is changing
The opportunity for better leadership in the future has been highlighted by the conscious unbossing.
Organisations can retain and attract the next generation by focusing on wellbeing, autonomy, and development. This will also fit their values.
Companies that adapt their business models will be able to secure their leadership pipelines and build a workforce more innovative, engaged, and future-ready.
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