Gen Z Ascends Management at Par with Past Cohorts Despite Anti-Hierarchy Stance 11% Pay Jump for Managers

Glassdoor’s analysis challenges the narrative surrounding Gen Z’s embrace of “conscious unbossing,” revealing a disconnect between stated preferences and real-world career trajectories. While Gen Z has gained attention for rejecting traditional management roles and advocating for flatter organizational structures, data from Glassdoor’s semiannual Worklife Trends report indicates that the generation is ascending into management at rates comparable to past cohorts. Daniel Zhao, lead economist at Glassdoor, notes that Gen Z is on track to surpass baby boomers in managerial positions by 2025–2026, aligning with historical patterns for millennials and earlier generations [1].

This trend underscores the enduring appeal of management as a career accelerator. In 2025, employees transitioning to managerial roles saw an average 11% salary increase—significantly higher than the 7% for non-managers. Despite Gen Z’s public emphasis on prioritizing purpose and flexibility over promotions, Zhao highlights that “management is still seen as the best path for climbing the career ladder.” Over half of Gen Z workers express reluctance toward middle-management roles, yet their actual career choices suggest a pragmatic alignment with traditional advancement metrics [1].

The workplace reality, however, reveals persistent challenges. Burnout rates surged 73% year-over-year in May 2025, according to Glassdoor data, while access to burnout-mitigating benefits like flexible scheduling and mental health support has stagnated or declined. For example, access to reduced work hours dropped 2.2% year-over-year, and remote work options fell 1.7%. This contrasts with broader post-pandemic gains—since 2019, remote work and mental health benefits have increased by 20.4% and 17.9%, respectively—highlighting a plateau in progress [1].

Zhao attributes this stagnation to structural constraints, including economic pressures and entrenched workplace norms. Companies increasingly prioritize benefits such as health savings accounts or fertility assistance, which, while valuable, may not directly address the emotional and operational stressors Gen Z emphasizes. Employees consistently rank “emotional intelligence” as a critical manager trait, yet on-the-ground experiences remain untransformed. Zhao notes that despite these challenges, “things haven’t necessarily deteriorated” for workers since early 2025, though conditions remain suboptimal [1].

The tension between Gen Z’s rhetoric and practice reflects broader generational dynamics. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z entered the workforce amid economic uncertainty and digital disruption, fostering a “pragmatic” approach to career decisions. Surveys show they value purpose, flexibility, and wellbeing over traditional hierarchies, yet their managerial ambitions align with historical trends. Zhao concludes that while Gen Z may aspire to “unboss” the workplace, the conventional mechanisms of career advancement remain intact. “Management is not for everybody and that’s okay,” he says, “but it is still seen as the best path for climbing the career ladder.”

Source: [1] Fortune, [https://fortune.com/2025/07/29/gen-z-says-conscious-unbossing-authority-management-daniel-zhao-glassdoor/](https://fortune.com/2025/07/29/gen-z-says-conscious-unbossing-authority-management-daniel-zhao-glassdoor/)