Too Much, Too Soon: Why Employees Are Turning Down Promotions

For most employees, receiving higher pay, additional authority and a senior job title sounds impressive, but more workers today are saying, “No, thanks” on the opportunity to move up.

A survey by emotional insight platform Hint App found 58% of working adults in U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Europe would turn down a promotion if they were expected to respond to work messages outside of normal work hours. In the U.S., the number rises to 62%.

Meanwhile, a 2025 survey by career website Kickresume stated 70% of global workers would choose a job with better mental health benefits over one with higher pay but no mental health support.

“[Employees are seeing] how current managers spend their time, how often they are pulled into urgent issues and whether they appear supported or stretched too thin,” said Allison Vaillancourt, the vice president and senior consultant of organizational strategy and transformation at advisory firm Segal. “Those observations shape whether a promotion feels like an exciting opportunity or an unsustainable role.”

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Why Leadership Is Losing Its Appeal

Vaillancourt added employees also are seeing managers lose control of their workday due to increased job responsibilities, along with logistical constraints of fitting family or life responsibilities into a longer or stricter workday.

For many workers, flexibility is no longer a nice-to-have perk, but a must, noted Keith Spencer, a career expert at software company Resume Now. Team members who already feel stretched thin may see a promotion as counter to the possibility of balance and reduced stress, he said.

So, while a salary increase would be meaningful for employees feeling financially strapped, Spencer said some have decided that the threat of longer hours and sacrificed work-life balance are simply not worth it.

An HR Concern

If employees don’t accept promotions, both Spencer and Vaillancourt said HR should be aware of the implications, including:

• Diminished leadership development pipelines to help preserve an organization’s succession plans.
• Retention risks for the workers who do take on leadership roles but struggle with the same challenges that keep their peers from doing the same.

HR can respond, they said, by:

• Examining the reality of leadership roles from the employee’s perspective.
• Rethinking career paths and redesigning leadership roles based on employee feedback.
• Strengthening manager support, especially for current leaders.

The goal is to make career advancement feel sustainable for the employee rather than making a sacrifice, said Vaillancourt.

Also, don’t assume that an employee who hesitates to take a promotion lacks ambition.

“Some workers may want to grow [in their careers] without becoming managers,” Spencer said. “Employees should feel empowered to pursue the form of advancement that makes sense for their goals rather than feeling apprehensive about what the next step has to look like.”

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

For more information and resources related to this article, see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:

• Career Growth
• Employee Experience
• Well-Being