Gen Z workers have been gaining quite a bit of reputation for starting a number of trends in the workplace: the importance of work-balance, pushing for work-from-home arrangements, or anything that translates to “getting the work done anyway”, but more often interpreted badly by traditional means.
Now that another trend called “conscious unbossing” is emerging, they may once again be described as “avoiding responsibility”.
What is conscious unbossing?
Conscious unbossing, as described by global payroll and HR platform Deel, which tagged it as one of five workplace trends to watch this year, refers to employees stepping back from traditional management paths and focusing on roles that prioritise balance, autonomy, and personal wellbeing.
While it may seem like avoiding responsibility, Apna CEO Kartik Narayan wrote in a guest column for Rediff that this simply means Gen Zs are choosing impact over hierarchy.
“Gen Z recognises that expertise and influence no longer require a management title,” he said.
He even praised Gen Zs, calling them “true digital natives” who were able to build empires through their laptops and a small team of skilled professionals because they learned early that corporate loyalty can often be a one-way street, as they witnessed mass layoffs and lived in economic volatility.
However, their choice not to want to climb the corporate ladder may just be helping businesses get more work done.
Why conscious unbossing breeds productivity
According to Mr Narayan, the traditional single path to success often puts productivity in the backseat, as employees focus on appearing busy, staying longer hours at work and feeling the need to always be available.
And without that usual path to success, “something interesting happens” — employees start working towards creating real impact instead. They build expertise by developing their skills and focusing on outcomes.
Unlike the previous generation of workers who collected promotions, Gen Z is collecting skills that will help them adapt to today’s volatile economy.
This is precisely why Gen Zs are “valuable” because they’re not confined to a single corporate track, he adds.
Still, he noted that authority, growth, and financial stability remain important. But with Gen Z also seeking an “emotional salary,” he advised companies to support them by providing access to personal autonomy, career growth, and purpose, as unfortunately, sticking to age-old benchmarks may not align with the “non-negotiables” of the next-generation workforce.
“The corporate ladder is not extinct; it’s just no longer the only road”, Mr Narayan adds—a trend already taking shape among Singapore and Southeast Asia’s finance professionals.
In a survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), nearly half of finance professionals said they believe career progression in the region will soon look different, with room for both flexible and traditional career paths. /TISG
