Gen Z reject pay rises in new workplace trend: 'Thanks but no thanks'

There was once a time when Aussie workers would be expected to "put in the hard yards" to get promoted and slowly climb their way up the corporate ladder, often through middle management positions. Gen Z workers are rejecting this traditional approach, in a growing trend dubbed “conscious unbossing”.

More than half of Gen Z workers (52 per cent) have said they don’t want to take on middle management roles, research from recruitment company Robert Walters found, with 16 per cent outright refusing to ever do the job. When asked why, 69 per cent said they thought the roles were “too high stress, low reward”.

Milly Bannister, a Gen Z boss and founder of youth mental health charity ALLKND, told Yahoo Finance she was a “living example” of someone who had side-stepped the traditional linear career and hustle culture.

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“The ‘conscious unbossing’ trend is basically Gen Z, including me, saying, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ to the old-school climb-the-ladder hustle,” Bannister said.

“Instead of chasing titles and bigger paychecks, we place more importance on - and are more interested in - wellbeing, autonomy, and finding purpose at work.”

Bannister said older Gen X and Baby Boomer workers often had a more traditional view of work ethic with “ingrained beliefs about duty and productivity”, which didn't fit with younger workers’ values.

‘Conscious unbossing’ trend hitting all industries

HR and workplace expert Jonathon Woolfrey told Yahoo Finance he was seeing the “conscious unbossing” trend play out in Aussie workplaces across the country, with virtually all industries impacted including the likes of healthcare, teaching and law.

“There’s more pressure, more stress and it doesn’t always come with significant positives such as a significant amount of increased pay or increased remuneration,” Woolfrey explained.

“[It doesn’t justify] Gen Z trading off the flexibility and the lifestyle that they can have when they don’t take on that extra responsibility.”

Woolfrey said generational changes in employee tenure were also playing into the trend, with Gen Z and Millennials changing jobs much more often than older workers used to.

“It has killed some of that long-term planning or commitment that previous generations used to have, they used to play the long game a lot more often,” he said.

“People just don’t want to do the extra hours and put in that extra work for 20, 30 years to become very senior and reap the benefits anymore.”

Warning of ‘serious ramifications’

Woolfrey said there could be “serious ramifications” if organisations don’t figure out how to make middle management positions more attractive.

“It’s something that could have quite significant flow-on consequences particularly for really important professional areas such as teaching, health, law and the like, if we don’t start to address what we’re seeing moving forward,” he told Yahoo Finance.

“We’re going to have serious shortages in positions that we know we need to fill.”

Bannister said younger people could often bring “fresh ideas, greater empathy and a collaborative style” to the workplace.

Bannister encouraged other young people to step into management roles if it aligned with what they wanted from their career and life.

“Management isn’t for everyone, and it shouldn’t just be the ‘next step’ because it’s expected. If you’re passionate about leadership, problem-solving, and helping others grow, it can be a really rewarding role,” she told Yahoo Finance.

“However, it’s essential to go into it with clear boundaries (seriously, make them) and a more modern approach to leadership - one that allows for flexibility, creativity, and a healthy work-life balance.”

Avoiding the ‘burnout trap’

Bannister said this modern approach to leadership, which includes embracing flexible and inclusive work cultures, could be the solution to dodging the “burnout trap” of middle management.

“It’s also about actually prioritising wellbeing - not just for yourself, but for your team. If you can create a work environment that genuinely values balance in its practices, it’s a win-win,” she said.

“Plus, Gen Z is really into tech and tools that make workflows smoother, so you can streamline tasks and avoid the stress of constant firefighting. Essentially, it’s about working smart, not more.”

Bannister recommended middle managers focus on “empowering” their team, rather than micromanaging them, and try out a “result-only” approach where they focus on what gets done, rather than how many hours it takes.

“Redefine success by making your work feel meaningful for yourself and your team, focusing on growth and experimentation rather than rigid targets. And don’t forget to prioritise your own creativity,” she said.

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