Why Gen Z and millennials are ditching middle management

WE SPEND a huge part of our lives at work, which is already a little depressing when you think about it.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

Right now, stress is sky-high, workplace bullying still happens in too many offices, salaries aren’t keeping up with the cost of living, and yet the pressure to “perform” never lets up.

And just when you think it couldn’t get more complicated, a quiet workplace revolution is bubbling up, one that might just change how we work and protect our well-being in the long run.

The new generation of workers, particularly Gen Z, is challenging the old “command-and-control” approach - where decisions flow from the top and employees follow orders — but leadership isn't something they're eager to chase.

This conscious choice not to climb the ladder is what experts are calling Conscious Unbossing.

What is conscious unbossing?

In simple terms, it’s a new wave of young professionals choosing freedom and flexibility over fancy job titles and corner offices. It’s not about being lazy; it’s about questioning if the personal cost of leadership is worth it anymore.

According to the Global Leadership Forecast 2025 by DDI, a respected leadership consultancy, 80% of HR professionals admit they don’t trust their pipeline of future leaders. CEOs are so worried that they list it in their top four business risks.

According to Robert Walters’ research, more than half of Gen Z employees 52% are disinterested in middle management roles, with 16% refusing to accept positions requiring direct line reporting.