Quitting jobs: Employees are choosing to move for less demanding roles

Why more professionals are prioritizing wellness over promotions and higher salaries.

July 19, 2026 by Will Davis Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard of job-hopping — regularly changing roles to climb the salary ladder. But “job shedding” is also gaining ground. Employees are deciding to aim for less demanding roles, either declining promotions or planning to move to jobs with less responsibility and less stress. This is similar to the concept of “conscious unbossing”, where employees choose not to move into management positions.

Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of AI Career Tools KickresumPrepared comments on why this might be, as well as tips for anyone considering this type of career.

Peter Durris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresum, commented:

“Although we often call it a “career ladder”, people’s progress is not always so linear. Although a promotion and a big title can often be associated with success, many people make decisions for their own well-being that may look like a step down from the outside. This may be because they realize that they do not enjoy management and may instead hold back due to personal or extra-work pressures.

“In our recent times Survey of parents’ experiencesWe found that 29% of parents said that since having children, they are now looking for less demanding roles. It is much more common among mothers than fathers, with 40% of women giving this answer compared to 24% of men.

“We are a managed Mental Health in the Workplace Exploratory Surveywhich revealed that workers with higher levels of seniority were more likely to have their jobs negatively affect their mental health. 72% of employees said they either left a job for their mental well-being, or considered doing so. Finally, when asked whether they would rather have a job with higher pay or tougher mental health benefits, 70% said they would choose to prioritize their mental well-being.”

Tips for Workers Considering “Quitting the Job”

• Plan for the long term. Think about where you see yourself in the long term — do you consider taking a step back temporarily, and then climbing to that level (or higher) after a break? If you’re planning to pursue senior-level positions in the future, that doesn’t mean you have to rule out taking a step back for now, but you may find it helpful to work out a rough timeline.
• Find out what to tell hiring managers. If you’re applying for jobs that you might be described as overqualified for, or that might be considered relegating, think about how to frame the decision to apply for these roles. Addressing this in a cover letter or job interview will help convince hiring managers, as long as you can put a positive spin on it. You might say you’re looking for a job with a better work-life balance, or you’ve realized you’re more interested in being an individual contributor than managing others.
• Consider the benefits as part of the package. When considering changing jobs to something lower-paying — or turning down a promotion — consider all the other benefits, too. Will the amount of time off you pay change? What about access to health insurance or other benefits? Take a minute to reflect on which benefits mean the most to you. If you’re taking a step back due to high levels of stress, a job that offers good time off may be ideal.
• Be open with your manager. If you realize that you would be happier in a role with less responsibility than your current position, talk to your manager about it. If there is a risk of losing you to another company, your boss will probably be willing to cooperate with you in ways that make the job better for you. This may include redistributing some responsibilities or reducing your time. If you’ve been offered a promotion but want to decline, let your manager know you’d prefer to stay in your current role.

It’s important to remember that there are many ways to have a fulfilling career. While a senior or C-suite job title looks really impressive on your resume, if the role itself doesn’t feel right for you at this point, you shouldn’t feel obligated to stick with it.