According to research, only about 6% of Gen Zers want to hold leadership positions. This is primarily due to the ever-expanding scope of managers’ responsibilities.
In recent years, the number of employees per manager has increased significantly: the average team size has grown from about six to twelve people. As a result, managers are under increasing pressure.
“Generation Z has a very realistic view of what work-life balance entails and what sacrifices are required to become a manager. Young people clearly see the workload involved in management,” says Tomasz Szklarski, CEO of Enpulse and an expert on employee engagement, in an interview with Euronews.
The problem could hit Europe hard
The decline in interest in leadership positions is not a problem limited to individual companies. It is a global trend that could prove particularly painful in Europe due to demographic changes.
The working-age population on the Old Continent is steadily shrinking. If companies do not develop new leaders and encourage employees to take on management roles, it will become increasingly difficult for them to maintain the effectiveness of their organizations.
Although artificial intelligence is increasingly entering the business world and automating many processes, it will not solve the problem of a shortage of managers.
The expert points out that it remains unclear whether employees are willing to follow orders issued by algorithms and whether technology will be able to effectively perform the functions of a manager.
Managing a team still requires skills that are difficult to replace: empathy, the ability to build relationships, motivate employees, and make decisions that take into account the human dimension of the organization.
