Non-Manager Promotions: How Companies and Employees Are Rethinking Career Growth

Article

For many professionals, climbing the corporate ladder doesn’t necessarily mean managing a team. Today’s workforce, especially younger generations, is reshaping what advancement looks like. Instead of moving into management roles, more employees are seeking non-manager promotions that allow them to build expertise and grow in their careers without taking on direct reports.

This shift has prompted many companies to rethink their approach to career development, making room for dual career ladders that support both managers and individual contributors.

Non-Manager Promotions: Rethinking Career Growth Paths

How Gen Z is redefining promotion and leadership
Why some employees don’t want to be managers
Non-management career paths for individual contributors
Tips for employees seeking non-manager promotions
How employers can support dual career ladders

How Gen Z is redefining promotion and leadership

Gen Z in the workplace is leading the way when it comes to challenging traditional career paths. Many Gen Z professionals prioritize meaningful work, skill development and work-life balance over formal leadership roles.

A recent Robert Half survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers found that 40% of Gen Zers want a promotion that doesn’t involve becoming a manager—the highest share among all generational groups. By comparison, 32% of millennials, 28% of Gen Xers and 29% of baby boomers expressed interest in non-management promotions.

These findings show that Gen Z is asking important questions: “Can I grow in my career without becoming a manager?” “How can I lead without having a team?” “What does success look like for someone like me?” These are questions employers need to be prepared to answer with flexible career frameworks to match.

Why some employees don’t want to be managers

While 46% of surveyed professionals said they are interested in a management promotion, that leaves more than half either uninterested or open to advancement through other routes. According to the same survey:

31% said they want a promotion, but not to a manager role

22% said they aren’t interested in a promotion at all

These results highlight an important shift: managing people isn’t the only, or preferred, path forward for many.

There are several reasons employees may opt out of management roles:

Hands-on work is more fulfilling—Some professionals thrive by doing, not delegating, and want to preserve their technical or creative expertise. In fact, a majority of respondents (59%) said they find more satisfaction in hands-on work than in managing others. This was especially true for baby boomers (65%) and millennials (62%).

Concern over work-life balance—Management roles often come with increased pressure and emotional labor. In the survey, 47% of professionals cited maintaining their current work-life balance as a reason to stay out of management, with Gen Z (55%) and Gen X (51%) expressing the greatest concern.

Discomfort with people management—Another 19% of professionals admitted they simply don’t like being responsible for others’ success.

“Accidental managers”—Promotions sometimes push employees into leadership roles that don’t suit their strengths or interests. In our survey, 15% said they don’t feel they have the relevant people or leaderships skills.

Ash Athawale, senior vice president of Executive Search at Robert Half, noted that many employees who turn down management roles are doing so with intention.

“Many employees who don't want management roles often find greater fulfillment in doing more hands-on work and focusing on their own individual contributions, which can be significant and equally important,” he said.

He added that “for many, work-life balance is a significant part of the equation on whether to take on the responsibility to manage others.”

Looking for your next great hire?

Speak to a talent specialist

Non-management career paths for individual contributors

To retain top talent and meet evolving expectations, more organizations are building dual career path frameworks. Common non-manager promotion opportunities include:

Principal or lead roles—Senior individual contributor positions that offer increased scope and visibility, such as Principal Engineer, Lead Designer or Subject Matter Expert.

Project-based leadership—Roles that allow employees to lead initiatives and drive business impact (e.g., a Data Analyst leading a companywide dashboard redesign).

Mentorship and coaching—Some individual contributors grow by mentoring others, often serving as go-to resources or peer coaches.

Strategic advisors—Trusted experts who contribute to high-level decision-making without managing teams.

Internal recognition—Programs or titles such as “Customer Champion” or “Innovation Lead” provide formal recognition without requiring a people-leadership track.

Tips for employees seeking non-manager promotions

If you’re an employee looking to grow without becoming a manager, here are a few ways to support your own advancement:

Talk to your manager or HR partner about your long-term goals, and be open to asking for feedback to help shape your career path and uncover growth opportunities.

Ask whether your company supports dual career paths and how those are structured.

Look for opportunities to lead projects, mentor others or build influence through collaboration. Define what success looks like for you and track your progress toward those milestones.

Stay open to feedback and continue developing your skills and strategic thinking.

How employers can support dual career ladders

To effectively support dual career paths, employers must be proactive and intentional. As Athawale noted, “Companies should recognize that employees have different goals and try to create paths for those who may not be interested in managing others.”

That starts with open dialogue:

“Having ongoing conversations with employees to understand what growth looks like for them is essential. This can come in many forms, like subject-matter expertise, leading strategic initiatives and special projects, or peer mentoring.”

Employers can take steps to support individual contributors by:

Validating their career direction—Not everyone needs to become a manager to be seen as successful.

Having regular development conversations—Discuss goals and growth opportunities beyond traditional promotion paths.

Creating clear career frameworks—Define and document what progress looks like for Individual contributors, just as you would for managers.

Ensuring compensation equity—Pay should reflect impact and expertise—regardless of whether someone manages a team.

Recognizing achievements—Celebrate achievements of individual contributors in the same ways you recognize team leaders.

“Ultimately, retention and leadership development go hand in hand,” said Athawale.

“When employees feel supported, they’re more likely to stay engaged and open to new possibilities that align with their career trajectory within the company rather than look for it outside.”

Career growth doesn’t look the same for everyone. Whether you're leading a team or leading a project, there’s more than one way to move forward. Non-manager promotions and dual career paths offer employers a smart way to retain top talent and give employees meaningful opportunities for advancement.

Making Work-Life Balance a Part of Employee Retention

How Asking for Feedback Can Power Your Career Growth

6 Ways to Prioritize Employee Recognition All Year Long