A new workplace trend sees employees abandoning high-stress careers, but experts incl. Gyfted’s cofounder Dr Blaze Mrozinski, say the real issue isn’t stress—it’s the fundamental lack of agency in modern workplaces
The Great Downshift?
Workers worldwide are increasingly abandoning the traditional career ladder, with a growing number declaring they’d rather have peace of mind than a corner office. According to the latest Randstad Workmonitor Pulse 2025 study, 60% of employees globally would prefer less stressful work over higher compensation. Even more striking: 40% have already made such a change, accepting lower pay for reduced pressure. Poland leads this trend, with 46% of workers having already downshifted—the highest rate among surveyed countries.
On job forums, questions about how to “dumb down” resumes to qualify for positions below one’s skill level are becoming common. The goal is singular: escape the pressure, deadlines, and constantly shifting priorities that define modern corporate life. But is this a genuine revolution in work culture, or merely a luxury available to a privileged few?
An Agency Crisis Behind the Downshift
Dr. Błażej Mroziński, a psychologist and co-founder of the Gyfted platform who teaches at SWPS University, argues that the root of workplace frustration runs deeper than stress itself. According to Mroziński, the real problem isn’t the workload—it’s the fundamental lack of control and agency that characterizes modern management.
“This escape from corporations isn’t really about seeking ‘holy peace,'” Mroziński explains. “Taking matters into your own hands is actually the antithesis of holy peace. It’s about regaining control and taking everything into your own hands.”
This perspective reframes the downshifting phenomenon not as stress avoidance, but as a response to powerlessness. Workers aren’t necessarily seeking easier jobs—they’re seeking environments where they have genuine influence over their work and its outcomes.
Generational Divide
Mroziński identifies a fundamental shift in how younger workers approach employment. “A young person in their twenties talks about work completely differently than my generation, which went ‘to the collective farm.’ They go to work, even just ‘a job,’ and it’s a completely different mindset.”
This generational divide becomes problematic when it collides with organizational structures unprepared for partnership-based relationships. The data supports this tension: 49% of Generation Z workers have given up higher salaries to gain more workplace flexibility, according to Randstad’s findings.
However, not all experts view these declarations at face value. Dr. Bartłomiej Brach, an academic lecturer and management author, approaches such claims with skepticism. “When we theoretically ask someone if they prefer work with less stress but lower pay, of course many people will say yes. Stress-free work strongly resonates in a culture where everything should be ‘slow,’ ‘natural,’ and ‘hand-made,'” he explains.
Brach’s research on meaningful work reveals a gap between stated preferences and actual behavior. While workers claimed they’d accept lower-paying jobs if they were more meaningful, when presented with real choices, they often chose differently. “It was hard for them to assess whether the work would actually be meaningful—they didn’t trust the company’s promises. But they were certain about receiving a specific salary amount. To avoid risk, people choose what’s more tangible and certain—money.”
Burnout vs. Career Choice
For Brach, the trend signals something more concerning than career flexibility. “I don’t see positive desire to change one’s life for the better in this data—a drive to maximize wellbeing. For me, it’s rather a signal of burnout. It’s the stage when we tell ourselves ‘I can’t do this anymore.'” Research supports this concern, with studies showing 20-40% of workers experiencing professional burnout or advanced symptoms of the syndrome.
According to Anna Karwowska, an HR expert from Crispy HR who works with people making conscious career changes: “in Poland, the most common change is moving to the public sector—government offices or cultural institutions. Abroad, workers more often target hospitality or customer service.” She emphasizes that successful career transitions require transparency and strategic presentation of skills. “I advise openly stating that it’s a conscious decision, not a ‘plan B after burnout.’ In resumes, it’s worth avoiding emphasis on hierarchy and titles, instead using a functional CV that highlights specific competencies useful for the new position.”
Managerial Problems
Mroziński places significant blame on management culture for driving the exodus from traditional careers. “There’s a lot of talk about fit, but it’s just a worn-out phrase with nothing concrete behind it. Nobody listens to employee needs, nobody measures the preferences of both sides, and nobody tries to adapt to these preferences in any way.”
He advocates for a fundamental shift: “Let’s ensure that people have a work environment where they can find themselves. Thanks to this, they won’t have to hide anything, won’t be afraid to show that they have competencies.”
The solution, according to these experts, isn’t eliminating stress entirely—Mroziński notes that stress is an inherent part of the responsibility workers actually crave. Instead, the goal is preventing its toxic, chronic manifestation.
“It is achieved through fundamental change: giving people a sense of agency, listening to their needs, and building a work environment based on trust and fit,” he argues.
The Randstad data reveals what still matters most for retention: regular salary increases tied to inflation (74%), which seems to confirm Brach’s skepticism about pure motivation. However, supervisor support for career development (68%) and shared values with the organization (67%) follow closely, suggesting that financial considerations alone are insufficient.
Elite Trend or New Normal?
While Brach dismisses much of the phenomenon as “a Warsaw-Mokotow situation”—referring to an affluent Warsaw district—arguing that most work reductions stem from practical concerns like childcare or health issues, Mroziński sees broader generational transformation at play.
The question remains whether downshifting represents a sustainable cultural shift or a temporary reaction to unprecedented workplace pressures. What’s clear is that the traditional covenant between employers and employees—trading autonomy for security—is being renegotiated by workers who increasingly refuse to accept powerlessness as the price of employment.
As organizations grapple with talent retention in an era where workers have more choices than ever, the message from the downshifting trend may be less about rejecting ambition and more about demanding authentic agency in how that ambition is pursued.
based on research and the Business Insider Polska’s “Rezygnują z kariery na rzecz spokoju. Nowy trend na rynku pracy” by Zuzanna Staszewska.