Why do many people not want to be bosses today?

In a recent survey by CoderPad, a technical interview platform for top development teams, 36% of tech workers said they don’t want to be managers. That’s because Gen Z and Millennials prioritize work-life balance more than previous generations.

Jack Kelly, CEO and founder of job search company WeCruitr (New York, USA), has 20 years of experience in this field, said that when the pandemic started, managers were advised to let employees work from home. Then they had to set up policies and procedures for employees to work remotely.

When workers return to the office, managers are tasked with coordinating combined schedules, monitoring vaccination status, and other responsibilities as directed by higher-ups.

They are also being driven by dramatic changes in the job market. As the pandemic wanes, a talent hunt is on again. The Great Resignation makes it difficult to recruit and retain workers, and companies find themselves short of staff. In the wake of the talent war, a series of companies announced office layoffs. The target is often to eliminate middle management positions.

According to MIT Sloan Management Review, although manager effectiveness is a top priority for companies, research shows that organizational support for managers is in sharp decline.

A 2022 survey by the Future Forum research organization revealed that in the post-Covid workplace, middle managers are the most burned out employees at every level of the organization. According to the findings, 45% self-reported burnout.

In addition, the feeling of isolation and not being part of a team when being a boss makes many people not interested in this position. As a middle manager, you are stuck between senior management and regular workers. When you walk into a room, instead of becoming a team member, people will stop talking and become more serious when you are there.

Whenever there is a crisis in the office, the manager is tasked with putting out the fire. No matter how the dispute is resolved, someone is bound to be unhappy, leave, and blame the manager.

Managers today also face a host of challenges, including dealing with declining performance levels, understaffing, and a lack of communication and teamwork among employees. The constant pressure to meet targets, build structure, resolve employee issues, and make the transition from employee to manager leaves many people exhausted.

According to Jack Kelly, when taking on a management position, sometimes people can lose the job they really love because they are pulled in other directions. For example, a talented programmer is tasked with building and managing a team of 10 employees. Instead of writing code, this person spends all day managing the minutiae of the daily workflow.