“They want me to be the manager,” my husband snapped at me at home as soon as he got home from work. He immediately added that he had declined it with thanks. He said he’d be doing the same job, plus he’d have a lot more responsibility and other worries. He would be responsible for the running of the department, the staff, and there would be paperwork on top of his normal activities. The financial consideration was not so interesting that he would nod at the offer. The cons clearly outweighed the pros. My husband is certainly not the only one who turned down the promotion. That’s been the trend in recent years.

Times are changing.

Until recently, promotion to a management position was the goal of many people. It was such a measure of success. Today, however, the career ladder is sort of collapsing and people are increasingly saying no to offers of management. The definition of success has changed. People want to have time for their lives, and on top of that, burnout has become the norm.

The numbers are clear. According to ManpowerGroup, only 39% of Generation X employees and 56% of millennials say they aspire to a leadership or management position. Manager engagement has also dropped. As many as 40% are seriously considering leaving their position (according to a Robert Half survey). And there is hardly anyone who is raking in all ten for their position.

━━ ( Source: krakenimages /  Unsplash+ )

Why don’t they want to have a feature

It is clear that salary still plays a big role in individuals’ decision-making. But in addition, flexibility is very important for employees, as is a manageable workload. Many employees are afraid of compromise. A managerial position means not only more responsibility, but also conflict resolution, pressure without a certain reward and, of course, a certain amount of meetings.

“The old system of higher title and salary doesn’t work anymore because it ignores what really motivates each individual,” explains Sarah Aviram, an employee engagement consultant. “While extrinsic rewards still play a role, today’s workers crave influence, autonomy and joy in ways that are deeply personal. If companies want people to get ahead, they need to cut out the red tape, offer genuine support and tailor leadership roles to match what truly motivates each person, and view promotions as opportunities, not liabilities.”

Privacy above all

People don’t just want to chase money and turn around at 70 to find that life has slipped through their fingers. They don’t want to tell themselves that they had a job but no personal life. Today’s workers, especially millennials and Generation Z, value flexibility and personal well-being. It’s much more important to them than traditional career growth.

Frankly, I’d also much rather my husband be my husband first and foremost and a full-fledged father to our daughters than a money generator for which we may enjoy a slightly more luxurious life, but we’ll only know him from the photos we take in stolen moments after dinners or on vacation. I want to live my life with my loved ones. Because money can’t buy happiness anyway.