Gen Z want career progression in flex – they just can’t find it 

Seventy four per cent of front of house employees would consider leaving their roles in flex due to a perceived lack of career progression, according to recent data from TRC London’s Front of House Retention Snapshot. That’s a concerning statistic for a sector such as ours that relies heavily on attracting and retaining front-line talent. 

The flexible workspace sector is rich with potential career journeys and pathways. The issue isn’t a lack of opportunity, it’s that the opportunities are not as clear as they might be. There’s a need to better communicate them, particularly for people at the start of their career. 

What career progression means to Gen Z 

 This all becomes especially relevant when we consider the expectations of younger professionals entering the workforce. We still hear the persistent narrative that Gen Z lacks ambition or long-term career focus. However, the data tells a very different story. Around 70% of Gen Z are actively working on developing their skills on a weekly basis.  

Young people are simply changing how progression is defined. Traditional career ladders were linear, hierarchical and often leadership focused. These are no longer the sole benchmark of success. Research from Deloitte shows that just 6% of Gen Z and millennials consider reaching a leadership position as their primary career goal. Instead, many are prioritising purpose, variety and personal development. For the flex sector, this offers up a huge opportunity.  

An industry built on diversity of experience 

 Front-of-house roles alone require a wide mix of skills across hospitality, operations, customer experience, sales and relationship building. Employees in flex on the whole are often exposed to a wide range of industries through the clients and communities they support, giving them a unique and broad commercial perspective early in their careers. 

These are highly valuable transferable skills, but far too often they aren’t framed or recognised as part of a structured career pathway. It comes down to making sure we’re clearly connecting the dots as an industry.  

How we can make progression more visible  

We need to focus on showing how a role at reception can evolve into a career in operations leadership, or how community management can lead into strategic roles and so on. It also means celebrating real career stories within our sector so that people can see tangible examples of progression in action. 

My own career journey has been a varied one. At times I regretted that I hadn’t taken up a profession that would have created a clear route for progression – I might have become a teacher were it not for people so often saying “will you be a teacher like your mother?!”   

I’ve instead undertaken a range of roles across public, private and charitable sectors which have given me a wealth of different experiences and skills. For my current role that’s exactly what’s needed, as I’ve needed to take on a wide variety of tasks and responsibilities.     

It’s important to ensure that career conversations are aligned with what progression means for young people today. Not everyone wants to ‘climb the ladder’ in the traditional sense. If channelled correctly, this can be a real strength for our industry. Progression, for many, is more about gaining new experiences, building a portfolio of skills, and finding purpose in the work they do.  

Of course, we know flex can deliver across the board here. There are businesses of all sizes running flexible workspace. There are public-facing roles, others that are vital to the smooth running of workspaces behind the scenes. Marketing, facilities, compliance, communications, events, technology – the list could go on for some time. 

If we can better communicate the variety, flexibility and personal growth opportunities our sector offers, we can slowly work to redefine what a career in flex looks like. Most importantly, we can make it more compelling career prospect to the next generation of talent.