Generation Z is not giving up on career advancement within companies, nor has it lost interest in eventually reaching executive positions. What is changing is the timing and the conditions under which young professionals are willing to take on such responsibilities. The Deloitte Global 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reveals that only 6% of Gen Z and millennial respondents currently consider reaching a leadership position their top career goal.
This figure could be interpreted as a lack of ambition, but the study itself suggests otherwise. In the long term, 76% of Gen Z respondents say they are interested in holding an executive leadership position, such as CEO or a member of an executive management team. Among millennials, the figure reaches 67%. Furthermore, 80% of Gen Z and 73% of millennials want to hold a supervisory or management position at some point in their careers.
The difference is that these generations no longer consider it essential to reach the top of the corporate hierarchy as quickly as possible. Deloitte found that 44% of Gen Z prefers steady career progression, while only 25% seeks a fast-track career path characterized by frequent promotions, new job titles, and salary increases.
For many young employees, career advancement may also involve making lateral moves or even temporarily accepting a lower-level position if it allows them to gain experience they consider valuable for their future.
Burnout makes becoming a boss less attractive
One of the main explanations lies in how employees perceive the responsibilities associated with management positions.
Among those who are not currently prioritizing leadership roles, 50% of Gen Z cite stress and burnout as major reasons, while another 50% point to excessive responsibility. Additionally, 41% identify the potential loss of work-life balance as an obstacle. The figures are similar among millennials: 49% cite stress or burnout, 48% excessive responsibility, and 46% concerns about work-life balance.
In other words, many young professionals are not rejecting the possibility of leading teams; they are questioning the personal cost traditionally associated with doing so.
This concern becomes clearer when examining the broader picture of workplace well-being described by Deloitte. Although perceptions of mental health have improved, 48% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials report feeling exhausted or burned out. In addition, 34% of Gen Z and 30% of millennials say they feel anxious or stressed most or all of the time.
Long working hours are among the leading workplace factors contributing to anxiety. Among Gen Z employees whose jobs contribute to their stress, 51% point to long working hours, 47% cite a lack of recognition, and 46% say they do not have enough time to complete their tasks.
Higher salaries and flexibility could change their minds
The report also identifies what companies would need to offer to make management positions more attractive.
Among Gen Z respondents, 53% cite higher financial compensation, 42% want more flexible working arrangements, and 36% seek greater clarity about the career path required to reach a leadership position. Among millennials, 57% prioritize better pay, 44% flexibility, and 35% a clearer path toward management roles.
These findings suggest that the challenge for companies is not simply convincing young employees to aspire to leadership positions, but rather redesigning leadership roles to align with evolving expectations around well-being, autonomy, and work-life balance.
Deloitte emphasizes that the relatively low priority currently placed on leadership does not mean young professionals want to stay away from decision-making roles. In fact, 69% of Gen Z and millennials believe they already have the ability to drive change within their organizations, regardless of whether they hold a management position.
A new definition of career success
This shift is also reshaping the traditional definition of corporate success. For decades, career advancement was closely associated with climbing the corporate ladder quickly, managing increasingly large teams, and securing higher-ranking job titles.
For Gen Z and millennials, that formula is becoming insufficient. Work-life balance, financial stability, and the opportunity to maintain a sustainable career over the long term are playing an increasingly important role in professional decisions.
Deloitte suggests that a growing gap exists between how many companies continue to structure career paths and how younger generations define professional progress. If organizations maintain the belief that reaching management positions requires endless working hours, constant availability, and higher stress levels, they could ultimately undermine their own pipelines of future leaders.
Among those not currently prioritizing a leadership position, 50% of Generation Z cite stress and burnout as one of the main reasons Read More