Jaded Gen Z is ditching the 'career ladder' for 'career lily pad' — but don't call them lazy: 'They're not rejecting ambition'

For generations, employees have been climbing the corporate ladder to be successful — but young workers are over it.

According to a new Glassdoor report , Gen Z is beginning to reject the traditional idea of career progression in favor of the “career lily pad.”

Rather than pursuing a single upward trajectory, this generation prefers to jump from opportunity to opportunity, landing where it makes the most sense for their personal and professional goals at the time. 4

While some critics may label the shift as lazy or aimless, the reality is far more strategic — and possibly even healthier for the future of work.

“We’ve traded the rigid career ladder for the career lily pad — a path where we can jump to whatever opportunity fits best at the moment. In the long run, that kind of flex