Expert Explains Why Gen Z Chooses Work-Life Balance Over Promotion

For some members of Generation Z, turning down a promotion is not a retreat from ambition. It is a decision to protect the balance between work, family, personal life, health and self-development.

Rahmi Damayanti, a family science expert at IPB University, said the meaning of professional success is changing. “For some members of Gen Z, success is no longer measured solely by promotion, the size of one’s responsibilities, or structural position, but also by the ability to achieve balance between work, family, personal life, health, and self-development,” she said in a written statement cited on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.

“

For some members of Gen Z, success is no longer measured solely by promotion, the size of one’s responsibilities, or structural position, but also by the ability to achieve balance between work, family, personal life, health, and self-development.

From a family science perspective, Rahmi said employment forms an important part of an individual’s and family’s life. But when workplace demands grow while time and energy for family and personal life shrink, people may reconsider their career choices. “The decision to reject a promotion can therefore be a way of prioritizing quality of life, rather than simply showing an unwillingness to accept responsibility or develop a career,” she said.

“

The decision to reject a promotion can therefore be a way of prioritizing quality of life, rather than simply showing an unwillingness to accept responsibility or develop a career.

She linked Gen Z’s outlook to major changes in the workplace, including digitalization, faster work demands, flexible working arrangements and greater awareness of health and well-being. Rahmi cautioned against generalizing, however. Many Gen Z workers still want to lead, but prefer leadership models that are flexible, humane and collaborative without sacrificing their personal or family lives.

The challenge for organizations, she said, is not merely persuading Gen Z to accept higher positions. It is designing leadership jobs that remain healthy and sustainable. Family-friendly workplaces could combine flexible work, manageable workloads, support for family needs, leave and more adaptable hours, along with a culture that does not treat excessive work as proof of loyalty.

“

This can be achieved through flexible work, healthy workload management, support for family needs, leave and more adaptable working hours, as well as an organizational culture that does not treat excessive work as a measure of loyalty.