Career ladders are giving way to career lattices as lateral movements within and outside the workplace become the norm. A recent survey found that 64% of senior leaders expect linear careers to become less common, while 85% expect advancement to depend more on skills than tenure or title. Employers can make these moves meaningful by detailing the experience employees will gain and how certain moves will contribute to future advancement. (Business Insider)
“LARPing” (Live Action Role-Playing), rather than indicating a game of Dungeons & Dragons or a reenactment of the Battle of Helm’s Deep, has become derisively synonymous with being a poser. Despite this, Gen Zers are LARPing into new careers, which begs the question: is faking it til you make it actually an effective networking technique? Maybe if you’re quick to adapt. (The New York Times)
RTO mandates have pushed employees to think of all the reasons they shouldn’t come into work, and they’re not all about inflexibility and commute costs. A recent survey said that 40% of employees consider leaving their workplace due to its dirtiness, with one third of respondents considering uncleanliness a “problem.” In addition to showing appreciation for custodial staff, managers can encourage employees to consider their coworkers and tidy up shared workstations. (Inc.)
Millennial women are tired of being girlbosses, stepping away from high-pressure corporate careers in favor of owning their own business, committing to motherhood, or creating content. Over 28% of women say “personal obligations” make it difficult to sustain such a career, compared to 17% of men. Just like their younger cohorts, this generation of women is exploring whether traditional advancement is still worth its costs. (Business Insider)
A recent IAB survey says that 82% of ad executives believe young consumers feel good about AI-generated ads, but the truth is only 45% of Gen-Z and Millennials feel positive. In a time where 90,000 AI-generated songs are uploaded to Deezer every day, it’s easy to see why individuals feel their creative work is undervalued. Executives should consider what’s more worthwhile: communicating with humans or with machines. (Forbes)
Gen Z is breaking away from “performative availability,” that is, succumbing to pressure to be available outside of work hours. While 72% of millennials and Gen Xers feel the need to respond, just 65% of Gen Zers feel the same. More telling, 69% of employees don’t feel that their after-hours dedication is rewarded in any way. Gen Z might have a better sense of what deserves a raise, and what managers should be emphasizing: overall contribution, not just availability. (Fast Company)