Lone wolf or people leader? Gen-Z workers say they’re not keen on management roles

Marissa Galko

November 29, 2024

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If gen-Z professionals are shying away from management roles, it may be because they don’t feel set up for success, argues one Ottawa HR professional. A recent national poll conducted by talent solutions firm Robert Walters found that 57 per cent of gen-Z professionals in Canada have no interest in becoming middle managers, with 60 per cent preferring an individual route to career success over managing others. Karen Brownrigg, founder and CEO of Ottawa-based iHR Advisory, says she has observed a similar phenomenon in the nation’s capital, but that it comes with a caveat. “We’ve been seeing a trend in Ottawa … for the past three months, we’ve not seen this high a number of layoffs and terminations since the lockdown time of the pandemic,” Brownrigg said. As a result of increased layoffs, combined with a higher cost of living, she says few people want to step into a role where they might feel as if they are expected to manage a sinking ship. “People are looking at this and saying, ‘I don’t have the experience. I don’t want the stress. I don’t want to take this home with me into my personal life,’” she said. When the poll asked why gen-Z professionals were not interested in middle management roles, 67 per cent said those roles offered high stress and little reward. People in generation Z, born between 1997-2012, are just starting their careers, and possibly even their first jobs. Brownrigg said it may be too early for them to fill management roles, but that they may not have a choice since the talent pool is shrinking. “We have an aging workforce. We’re seeing a lot of people retire. How do we make sure that people who are up-and-coming leaders are supported through mentorship?” she said. While younger professionals might have more access to information and other services to help them succeed than did older generations, she said it may not be enough to qualify them for management roles. “(They’re) getting access and opportunity. I don’t care how smart you are, if you’re not set up for success with support, you’re going to hit a wall. It’s too soon to throw (gen-Z professionals) into these jobs with tremendous responsibility,” she said. “We’ve got to give (them) a chance to get life experience.” Many younger professionals are also navigating their new careers remotely, as workplaces continue to adjust to a post-pandemic world. Brownrigg said remote work may be taking valuable lessons away from younger employees as they enter the workforce. “Being exposed to people dynamics in your workplace is an important training ground.You’re not able to experience challenging conversations. You can hide your emotional reaction, to some degree, and you never quite learn how to regulate your emotions,” she said. That, in turn, may not give young professionals sufficient experience to advance to higher level positions, even if they wanted to. “You could be the smartest person on the planet, but a crappy leader, because you’ve got crappy people skills,” she said. Ultimately, it comes down to reframing management roles and implementing a “try-before-you-buy” approach to promoting employees, she added. “We need to expose them to allow them to feel confident enough … they get to experience what it’s like to be a leader before they actually take the risk and sign up to take the job,” she said. Once in the role, managers need access to resources so they don’t feel lonely at the top, Brownrigg said. “Equip them with the tools. Going to a course is not going to help them. It’s going to be nice to have, but if you’re not continuously applying and having a mentor help you do that, it’s not going to be enough. We need to make sure to put a life preserver around them. It's going to be unique, depending on the organization, that individual and their experience,” she said. Beyond resources, jobs need to seem enticing and Brownrigg said hiring managers can achieve that by showcasing the impact and expectations of the role up front. “They need to understand the purpose of the role. The vision and mission of the organization need to line up with people’s values. Otherwise, it’s like you’re lost on the road to nowhere,” she said.