Stepping down from management job

[ozliz]

Anyone reached a work goal promotion wise and got there and questioned whether it’s for you? I’ve been in my new job for long enough that it’s not new anymore and really questioning whether I want to be responsible for this much, especially staff management.

I’ve worked with some semi retired people who used to work at higher levels and now just take short contracts selectively to avoid too much responsibility and staffing management. I’m starting to understand their point of view.

I’m not even 40 yet and seriously wondering if I really want this much responsibility - even though I enjoy the work on the whole and like being part of everything in a way that this higher level management allows me to be. Plus it helps that I like my boss and if I were to step back down I might feel like I know more/want to do things differently than the person I could otherwise be working for.

Maybe it’s just that time of year and covid and everything else. Can’t wait for my next Disney trip early 2023 which the higher salary certainly helps me to do!

Would love to hear if people have stepped down from a higher level position and whether you regretted it.

 

[SteveH]

I never have, however in my career I've have 3 of my team members ask to take a step back. Two of them approached me with a pretty well thought out plan and one was more a list of demands - that didn't go over well. The other two transitioned back and worked well for everyone. Key is to meet and talk with your supervisor and/or HR and approach the subject that you want to work together. In this era being able to keep an employee is a big deal, so if you are wanting to stay on with less responsibility that isn't a bad thing, just need to work through the organization impacts to see if you can both agree on a path forward. Good luck!

 

[amcnj]

I never stepped back, but have declined to apply for managerial jobs that were going to have lots more headaches and came with salaries which were only a couple of thousand dollars more. I might have switched if I had been younger and there was a chance the job could have led to something even better before I retired.

 

[Christine]

OP, just like you, I took a higher responsibility position about 8 years ago so I could be in on some of the decision making, policy establishment and just overall lead the organization. I love that part of it. Unfortunately it came with the management of a division. *Only* 10 people, but really, that part I just hate for a number of reasons and that's the part that makes me want to step out of it. But then when I see what my job might them become, I don't know if I'd be professionally fulfilled.

 

[MissStitch626]

I've never stepped back but often wish I had.

I manage a team that has 12-14 people typically. There are some things I enjoy about my role but if the opportunity to move away from people management came up, I'd take it. I've found over the last ten years in my industry, healthy boundaries have dissolved and my team are looking for more and more emotional support and involvement from me in their personal lives. I also have a lot of people wanting to do less work for more pay (dont we all!) and I find it draining having to constantly challenge people to do the job they're paid for.

I'm not sure how I'd feel now if I had stepped back. I would be making less money but I'd have a more peaceful work life!

 

[AgentMama]

I've never stepped back but often wish I had.

I manage a team that has 12-14 people typically. There are some things I enjoy about my role but if the opportunity to move away from people management came up, I'd take it. I've found over the last ten years in my industry, healthy boundaries have dissolved and my team are looking for more and more emotional support and involvement from me in their personal lives. I also have a lot of people wanting to do less work for more pay (dont we all!) and I find it draining having to constantly challenge people to do the job they're paid for.

I'm not sure how I'd feel now if I had stepped back. I would be making less money but I'd have a more peaceful work life!

I feel this too. I enjoy the people management less and less. I have a couple of emotionally high maintenance people on my team right now and every 1:1 with them is exhausting. I used to really enjoying figuring out what management style worked best for developing my team, but these days I'm feeling more and more burned out by it and would like to just be an individual contributor. Maybe my next cruise will put me in a better frame of mind.

 

[slo]

My DH has, not in the same company, but left one company to take a step down at another. He was miserable in his position, so we agreed that more money isn’t everything - his health and sanity are most important (the position had a ton of stress that went with it). He felt like a huge weight was lifted from him when he took the step down. When you know, you know, so listen to your gut feeling and do what’s best for you.

 

[JaxDad]

I became a manager at one job when ours stepped down. It was definitely the best thing for him—he was much happier (and healthier). He also became a sort of stealth “co-manager” for me. Having his knowledge and experience out in the workforce was great.

 

[nw6675]

I did. Having time for my family, not having to answer the phone and emails all night, not seeing up close and personal how poorly the company treated people...the list could go on for days.

 

[goofyernmost]

I stepped back in my last working years. I was sick of the problems, mostly personnel type, and since my family was grown and on their own and my wife also decided that being single was probably more fun than marriage, I made that change. I got trained to drive tour buses and got my CDL and two days later planes flew into the twin towers and ended tour bus demand for about two years. I had no one to support except myself, I loved to drive so I figure that was a good way to use up my working years.

I then took a job driving municipal buses and I loved it. For sure, you do come in contact with some interesting characters but it just amused me. I could go to work and leave on schedule and never have to take my work home with me. When the day was successfully done, it was done. All I had to do was get up the next morning and complete my scheduled routes and that was it.

Then an opportunity for a management position opened up in the bus company. My inner self thought, you could do that and you are wasting abilities just driving up and down the streets of the city for three years with little variation, so I broke down and applied, got that job and then spent the next seven years regretting my decision. I even retired on the early side because I just wasn't enjoying myself anymore. I don't know if my AADD would have allowed me to continue just driving, but I did know that I hated doing the management part that mostly involved dealing with personnel problems. I shudder just thinking about it now and it was 12 years ago, next week, that I retired.

 

[GreatLakes]

It isn't something I would do, it doesn't look good on a resume.

Is the problem managing people or the people you manage? Managing people is much harder than people who don't do it think.

I've been brought into disfunctional groups in the past and managing those people was terrible. Once I identified who was disfunctional themselves as opposed to a victim of the culture I got ride of the former. If you are new at management you'll need to learn to cull the herd. Everyone I manage currently, with one exception, is someone I hired and it is a much better stress level now.

If it is more the job as opposed to the people you may just need a mentor. It helps a ton.

 

[barkley]

I've been brought into disfunctional groups in the past and managing those people was terrible. Once I identified who was disfunctional themselves as opposed to a victim of the culture I got ride of the former. If you are new at management you'll need to learn to cull the herd. Everyone I manage currently, with one exception, is someone I hired and it is a much better stress level now.

being able to 'cull' is highly dependent on a number of factors-type of industry (private vs. public), unionized or not, and local and state employment laws (right to work states vs. at will makes a HUGE difference) to name a few. even those aspects aside-absent having ultimate and final termination authority leaves a manager in the position of h/r or some 'higher authority' making the final call. unless the powers that be are supportive and cooperative in making the hard decisions they put managers into an impossible and potentially dangerous situation.

 

[DisneyLover83]

I've never stepped back but often wish I had.

I manage a team that has 12-14 people typically. There are some things I enjoy about my role but if the opportunity to move away from people management came up, I'd take it. I've found over the last ten years in my industry, healthy boundaries have dissolved and my team are looking for more and more emotional support and involvement from me in their personal lives. I also have a lot of people wanting to do less work for more pay (dont we all!) and I find it draining having to constantly challenge people to do the job they're paid for.

I'm not sure how I'd feel now if I had stepped back. I would be making less money but I'd have a more peaceful work life!

I now manage a group of about 8 and the people management part of my job is the one reason I consistently think about taking a step back. I did receive a 20% pay increase for the jump to Manager but honestly i'm not sure its worth it. Most of my team is young (early 20's straight out of college) and between the issues they have amongst themselves and the fact that I wonder why parents are not teaching basic life skills I want to crawl into my office each day and hide.

But as most have said - the jump to Manager pays the bills.

 

[shh]

I did. Never regretted it. But I really stepped away - from W-2 management level employee to an independent contractor. Couldn't care less about resumes and higher salaries. I couldn't return to being an employee unless my life depended upon it - and thankfully it doesn't.

 

[RedAngie]

I took a step back at the beginning of this year. I’m planning to retire next year so my career path didn’t matter anymore.

I did enjoy my position, which I held for eight years, for the most part, but I just wanted fewer responsibilities during my twilight years. My supervisor was happy to arrange the “demotion” rather than lose me entirely.

 

[voxparse]

I have never taken a step back but I have reached a point where I will never take another promotion. I know enough about the next step to know I don’t want it.

 

[GAN]

Anyone reached a work goal promotion wise and got there and questioned whether it’s for you? I’ve been in my new job for long enough that it’s not new anymore and really questioning whether I want to be responsible for this much, especially staff management.

I’ve worked with some semi retired people who used to work at higher levels and now just take short contracts selectively to avoid too much responsibility and staffing management. I’m starting to understand their point of view.

I’m not even 40 yet and seriously wondering if I really want this much responsibility - even though I enjoy the work on the whole and like being part of everything in a way that this higher level management allows me to be. Plus it helps that I like my boss and if I were to step back down I might feel like I know more/want to do things differently than the person I could otherwise be working for.

Maybe it’s just that time of year and covid and everything else. Can’t wait for my next Disney trip early 2023 which the higher salary certainly helps me to do!

Would love to hear if people have stepped down from a higher level position and whether you regretted it.

First of all, someone had enough confidence in you that they felt you‘d do a good job -and you probably do. I don’t understand the make-up of your company, but I would have a discussion with your boss. I wouldn’t tell him you’re looking for less responsibility(especially at your age) but focus more on the fact that the job might not be for you …so I’m suggesting a lateral move if one’s available to you or other avenues for your own growth. It’s important to have open conversations with your superiors -if they’re worth anything they will appreciate it.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My husband was a CIO. A lot of responsibility. Always management issues and drama. He approached me after some years and said he wanted to step down. He didn't "like" it anymore and it was becoming unbearable for him. I supported his decision but he never did it. He did work out some things. Years later, when a lot of changes were made (the owner sold the company) it was getting bad, very bad, with the new owners. An opportunity for a new job with no management role (and a little less money) came up and he took it. It also involved a big move across country. He's been at his new job for 6 years now and he doesn't miss the management position at all.

 

[GAN]

..

 

[cedricandsophie]

I’m retired but during my career I managed as many as 20 people. I hated the administration of all that although I did love the mentoring aspect. But I missed focusing on client work. I eventually said Enough and stepped back into an Individual Contributor role. It was my best decision. I didn’t make less money because I was bringing in client work and billing. And I could still help younger colleagues and mentor. Some are built for management but not me.