Many young professionals prefer ChatGPT to their manager when it comes to career advice

Newcomers to the job market are often keen for career advice. While they might traditionally have looked to their managers for such guidance, more and more of them are using ChatGPT as a source of career advice.

Some 47% of Generation Z workers surveyed in the latest report from Workplace Intelligence and INTOO* say ChatGPT gives them better career advice than their own manager. In general, young workers trust social networks more than their line managers when it comes to finding tips and tricks to advance their careers.

Generation Z are not the only ones to be dissatisfied with their managers in this respect. Four in ten employees say their manager has given them “bad” career advice, across all age groups. That’s why workers are multiplying the sources they turn to for advice, with a clear preference for family and friends (62%).

Receiving bad advice in the workplace has more consequences than you might think. First of all, it can hinder career development. For example, 67% of those surveyed said they had stayed in a job that didn’t suit them, or missed out on a promotion and/or pay rise because they had received bad advice.

It can also have a negative impact on employee well-being. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said they had personally suffered as a result of following unwise recommendations. This feeling is particularly prevalent among Generation Z, 39% of whom say their mental health has been affected by poor professional advice.

It seems essential for managers to take their role as advisors more seriously. And above all, that they take the time to guide their employees. The majority of workers would like to talk to their line manager about their career more often, but the manager is often too busy to see them.

Now more than ever, managers should encourage regular discussion with their teams to ensure their professional well-being, and prevent them from being tempted to seek a sympathetic ear elsewhere. – AFP Relaxnews

*Survey by Workplace Intelligence and INTOO carried out between November 19 and December 2, 2023, among 1,600 US employees aged between 21 and 67.