A majority of U.S. workers would turn down a promotion if it meant being expected to stay available outside normal working hours, according to a Hint App survey of nearly 14,000 workers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and Europe.
The survey found that 58% of workers overall would reject a promotion that required after-hours availability. In the U.S., that figure rises to 59%, while 62% of American workers said they would decline a move into management if it came at the expense of their work-life boundaries.
The findings point to growing resistance to a traditional expectation that career advancement should come with greater access to an employee’s time.
Workers Are Rethinking What A Promotion Is Worth
Two-thirds of U.S. respondents said promotions carry unspoken expectations about employees’ time outside of work. More than half, 56%, said they had seen colleagues become noticeably less happy after moving into management.
Younger workers were particularly reluctant to accept management roles under those conditions. Among Americans ages 18 to 34, 71% said they would decline management if it compromised their work-life boundaries, while 65% said they would prefer career progression that did not require managing other employees.
Middle Management Is Adding To The Problem
The reluctance to move into management comes as middle managers face growing demands from layoffs, staffing shortages, AI adoption and workplace conflicts.
Caregiving responsibilities are also affecting advancement decisions among older workers. A separate Zety survey found that one in 10 Gen X workers had turned down a promotion or slowed their career growth because of caregiving responsibilities.
The result is a growing pool of workers who may want higher pay and greater responsibility but are less willing to accept the traditional costs attached to moving up.
