Who Wants to be the Boss? 87% of Gen Z Workers Say No

Gen Z’s rejection of management roles jumps 15 percentage points in two years

London, UK, 12 November 2026 – New findings from Robert Walters reveal that 87% of Gen Z workers say they don’t want to manage others, a jump from 72% who said the same in 2024.

The new data, building on the global talent solutions partner’s previous conscious unbossing research, underscores how managerial responsibilities continue to fall down Gen Z professionals’ list of career ambitions. Instead, over half (54%) want to progress as specialists in their chosen field.

This comes as Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently warned that ‘pure people managers’ won’t survive the AI era due to their lack of proximity to a company’s end product.

Lucy Bisset, Senior Director – North of England at Robert Walters, comments: “Our 2024 Gen Z research revealed a change in the way this generation were considering career progression, with many wanting to progress based on the value they add, not the people they manage. Two years later, that sentiment has become even stronger.

“Many organisations have introduced specialist career tracks to retain technical talent and address new skills demands as AI continues to influence roles. However, this risks leaving management skills gaps elsewhere, particularly as young workers increasingly overlook managerial posts due to perceptions of overwork, limited decision-making and personal growth.

“It’s clear management has an image problem, and organisations have a critical role to play in rebranding it.”

Not a preferred path

Half (50%) of Gen Z workers don’t want to take on a managerial role to progress in their career, while a fifth (23%) believe they’ll still have to at some point, and a quarter (27%) are adamant they’ll avoid it altogether.

Lucy continues, “For many young workers, managers spend more time guiding teams or firefighting day-to-day issues, rather than building a depth of knowledge or expertise that could offer greater career security.

“The rising use of AI across businesses could be further stoking concerns amongst junior workers who, having less experience, may feel the need to specialise or deepen certain skillsets to remain employable and safer from disruption.”

An internal image problem

Two years on, Gen Z workers have the same concerns about taking on management roles. Over three fifths (66%) still believe management roles are ‘too high stress, low reward’, compared to 69% who said the same in 2024. Worries over limited decision making (2026: 16%, 2024: 18%) and reduced personal growth (2026: 11%, 2024: 11%) also remain at similar levels.

When professionals of all ages were asked about perceptions of management in their company, just 14% believed all generations valued it equally, while two-fifths (42%) stated that older professionals valued it more than their younger colleagues.

“Middle managers have perhaps one of the most polarising profiles in the workplace right now, with a clear generational divide in how these roles are appreciated. This is something leaders should address to stop harmful stereotypes becoming an entrenched part of their culture.

“This also may be a sign that the role needs to evolve. By combining elements of specialist positions, such as autonomy and creativity, with managerial responsibilities like mentorship and guidance, organisations can help broaden the appeal of these career tracks,” Lucy adds.

The business community are working on building more robust management pipelines. Progress Together, a not-for-profit in the financial sector, announced a new 12-month programme aimed at tackling the sector’s persistent middle-to-senior progression gap.

Middle management makeover

Interestingly, when Gen Z were asked about their preferred organisational structure, half (52%) said a team-based one would be best, while almost two-fifths opted for a flat structure (38%). Just 10% preferred a traditional hierarchical one, a 4% drop from 2024.

Despite this, mid-level management roles remain vital, with 80% of employers stating that middle managers play a crucial role in their organisation.

Lucy concludes, “Managerial roles are continuing to lose favour with Gen Z workers and leaders can no longer assume their future leaders will emerge over time. While specialist skills shortages have been a long-standing concern for businesses, if this trend continues, they may also need to start considering the prospect of leadership shortages too.

“There is no singular solution to career progression, and organisations that recognise this and offer alternatives that align with both employee expectations and business needs will build stronger, more agile talent pipelines for the future.”