Young professionals turn to ChatGPT for 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 per cent 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.
Generation Z are not the only ones to be dissatisfied with their managers in this respect. Four in 10 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 per cent).
Receiving bad advice in the workplace can hinder career development. For example, 67 per cent 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 wellbeing. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they had personally suffered as a result of following unwise recommendations. This is prevalent among Generation Z, 39 per cent of whom say their mental health has been affected by poor professional advice.
It is essential for managers to take their role as advisors more seriously and to 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.
Managers should encourage regular discussion with their teams to ensure their professional wellbeing, and prevent them from being tempted to seek a sympathetic ear elsewhere.