Real reason Gen Z is rejecting the corporate climb

CLIMBING the corporate ladder used to be a rite of passage. You put in the hours, nodded at the right moments, and hoped that one day you would get your own corner office - or at least a bigger monitor.

- ANJA VAN BEEK

But times have changed, and younger generations - millennials and Gen Z - are turning that dream on its head. It’s not that they’re simply disinterested in the ladder; some are asking if it’s leaning against the right wall at all.

While this shift has been misunderstood as a lack of ambition, it’s actually something deeper and more strategic. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 report reveals a key piece of the puzzle: managers are struggling - and big time. Globally, only 21% of employees are engaged at work; and when Gallup zoomed in, they found managers themselves are less engaged than the people they lead.

Let that sink in. The people at the next rung of the ladder are burnt out, disengaged and sandwiched between executive pressure and team well-being. Is it any wonder the generations coming up behind them are thinking twice?

Climbing to what?

The desire to grow and do meaningful work is still very much alive and well - especially in younger professionals. An InStride survey showed that more than 80% of adults seek educational benefits to grow in their careers. But it’s the type of growth that matters now. Traditional ladder-climbing (hierarchical, rigid and often political) feels misaligned with the values of today’s emerging talent. Why? Primarily because the workplace feels unstable.