Addressing the Issue of Gen Z Rejecting Promotions and Preferring to Remain in Staff Roles, An IPB University Expert’s Perspective

Promotions have long been viewed as a sign of professional success. However, for some members of the younger generation, a promotion is not necessarily the top priority if it comes at the cost of less time for family, personal life, health, and self development.

The phenomenon of Gen Z choosing to turn down promotions in favor of work-life balance needs to be viewed more holistically. Rahmi Damayanti, MSi, a lecturer in Family and Consumer Sciences at IPB University, says this decision does not necessarily mean that Gen Z is unambitious or unwilling to grow.

“What’s actually happening is a shift in perspective regarding the meaning of success at work. For some Gen Z members, success is no longer measured solely by a promotion, the extent of one’s responsibilities, or a structural position, but also by the ability to achieve a balance between work, family, personal life, health, and self development,” she said.

From a family studies perspective, Rahmi explains that work is an important part of an individual’s and a family’s life. As work demands increase, while the time and energy available for family and personal life decrease, a person may reconsider their career choices.

“Therefore, in my opinion, the decision to decline a promotion can be a way of prioritizing quality of life, rather than merely indicating a reluctance to accept responsibility or advance in one’s career. Especially since Gen Z is entering the workforce amid major changes: digitalization, increasingly fast paced work demands, work flexibility, and growing awareness of the importance of health and well-being,” she added.

Nevertheless, Rahmi cautioned against generalizing this phenomenon. Many Gen Zers still aspire to lead, but they seek a more flexible, humane, and collaborative leadership model without having to sacrifice their personal or family lives.

Family-Friendly Workplace
According to her, the challenge is not merely getting Gen Z to accept leadership roles, but how organizations can design jobs and leadership positions that are healthier and more sustainable.

One way to achieve this is through the implementation of a family-friendly workplace, that is, systems, policies, and a work environment that support individuals in remaining productive and advancing in their careers while still fulfilling their family roles and responsibilities.

“This can be achieved through work flexibility, healthy workload management, support for family needs, leave, and more adaptive work schedules, as well as an organizational culture that does not equate excessive work with loyalty,” she added.

According to Rahmi, the concept of a family-friendly workplace has long been championed by Prof Euis Sunarti, a professor at IPB University specializing in Family Resilience and Empowerment, who emphasizes that the family is a vital component that must be considered in workplace policies and practices.

The importance of this approach is further reinforced by the findings of a study conducted by Rahmi in collaboration with Prof Euis Sunarti and Dr Istiqlaliyah Muflikhati on family-friendly policies, which show that such policies play a role in improving work-family balance, family functioning, and subjective family well-being.

“Family-friendly work doesn’t mean reducing productivity or professional demands. On the contrary, this approach encourages the creation of a work system that allows individuals to remain productive and advance in their careers without having to neglect their roles and responsibilities within the family,” explained Rahmi.

Redefining Success
According to her, the workplace also needs to provide diverse career paths, not just managerial tracks, but also professional expertise or individual contributor roles. Leadership succession can be prepared through mentoring, coaching, competency development, and gradual leadership experience.

“The solution to the leadership crisis isn’t to blame Gen Z for not wanting to advance in their careers, but to build a work system that makes leadership compatible with family life and quality of life,” she explained.

According to Rahmi, this phenomenon can serve as a catalyst for the workplace to redefine success in a more multidimensional way. A career remains important, but family, health, social life, personal time, and well being are also integral parts of quality of life.

“For Gen Z, work-life balance also needs to be understood correctly. Balance doesn’t mean reducing responsibilities or limiting personal development, but rather being able to manage work and life in a healthy way, while remaining responsible and continuing to grow,” she explained.

“What we need to cultivate is not a young generation that is ‘forced to pursue positions of power,’ but a young generation that has the capacity and willingness to lead because they see leadership as something meaningful, not as a sacrifice of their lives,” she concluded. (dh) (IAAS/KQA)