Whether its Gen-z wanting to fast-track progression, or cash-strapped employers trying to save on money but keep staff engaged; job-title inflation the process of giving an employee a more important-sounding job title has caused an influx of new, more senior sounding job titles to enter the market without the experience, skills or salaries to match.
Positions featuring ‘Lead’ or ‘Manager’ in the job title, with a maximum of 2 years’ experience were up a combined +53 per cent in the UK & Ireland, over the last year.
However, according to Data People, job listings that use the title of ‘Senior’ incorrectly can see a -39 per cent decrease in applicants. In 2022 accounting firm EY appointed over 1,000 new partners, however the latest cohort will not have access to the traditional share of equity that comes with the title bringing to question what relevance the title holds today.
Janine Blacksley, director of Walters People comments: “It used to be the case that titles like Lead, Principle, Partner and VP took years of experience and hard work – however, that now seems to be changing, with professionals being awarded such titles despite only being in the primary stages of their career.
“Employers must be aware that the pendulum swings both ways attaching senior titles to junior positions can deter suitable candidates as much as it attracts them making them feel too underqualified to apply.”
Are Gen-Z’s asking for too much, too fast?
According to a poll by staffing firm Walters People, over half of Gen-Z’s expect to be promoted every 12-18 months – and if they don’t receive this they start looking elsewhere.
Janine adds: “Young workers have cottoned on to how candidate short the market is particularly at the junior end where we are still contending with the bottle-neck caused by grad-schemes being paused at the height of the pandemic.
“With that young workers hold most of the cards and so if they do not get the promotion aka fancy job title from their current employer, they know that this will be on offer elsewhere for them.”
Are Gen Z’s worthy of the title?
When asking Gen Z’s what qualities they feel they bring to the table; 40 per cent stated that their ideas and creative thinking was their best asset, followed by a third claiming digital knowhow, and a quarter stating that they aren’t afraid to stand-up for what they feel is right and push the company forward in a different direction.
Managers on the other hand stated that what Gen Z lack in experience they make up for in perseverance (33 per cent) and entrepreneurial mindset (27 per cent) with two thirds of employers expressing how impressed they are with the level of autonomy this generation is able to handle.
Janine adds: “Many Gen Z’s would have completed their degree remotely, and then entered the working world remotely or certainly in a hybrid manner. Working in solo, and checking in or giving updates digitally rather than face-to-face is essentially the norm for these young workers – so it comes as no surprise that they can thrive in this environment.”
The drawback to this is that social skills have taken a hit. An overwhelming 70% of hiring managers state that soft skills such as communication, relationship management, rapport building, and collaborative working are all lacking in this generation.
Careers at risk
Job title inflation can actually damage Gen-Z’s current job satisfaction, as well as their future progression prospects. Upon accepting an inflated job title, young professionals may be signing up for a position they aren’t actually qualified for, a vague job title can come with a vast array of responsibilities and expectations that aren’t always clearly disclosed.
Whilst for companies, it can lead to confusion and miscommunication within the organization. If employees are given inflated job titles, it can be difficult to know who is actually responsible for what, which can lead to inefficiencies and mistakes.
Organisational chaos: However, it may also damage companies in the long-run not to mention cause organisational confusion over who sits where, when you put managers or heads who don’t actually look after teams of people in the mix things can get confusing. Furthermore, job title inflation can also lead to resentment among employees.
If some employees feel that they are being given inflated titles while others are not, it can lead to a sense of unfairness and inequality within the workplace. This can ultimately lead to young professionals at risk of burnout, overall lower staff morale and higher turnover rates.
By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily
