I'm a job hunting Gen Z and here's why coaching made me stay

I had the opportunity recently to take a different job. On paper, it looked great—a step up in my career, higher pay, and a chance to try something new. But when it came down to it, I chose to stay where I am. Why? It was because of coaching.

My manager coaches me every day—not just on the big things, but on the small, everyday moments too. And that made all the difference. Let me explain.

The Gen Z stereotypes

Being Gen Z comes with a few stereotypes, and you've probably heard a lot of them. We’re hungry for career progression. We want information instantly, and we’re impatient when we don’t get it. We always want feedback, but we can be sensitive when we get it. We’re “job hoppers,” always looking for the next best thing.

The stats support this, too:

• 64% of Gen Z cited “opportunity for career growth” as a top career priority.
• 70% of Gen Zers want to be promoted within the first 18 months.
• Gen Z's average job duration is only 1.1 years due to growth-hunting.
• 1 in 3 Gen Zs plan to change jobs within the next year, due to a lack of progression and purpose.

There’s truth in all of that. I do want to grow. I do want to be promoted. I do feel like I'm falling behind if I'm not constantly chasing more. And I get it—the constant need for more can make Gen Z employees like me a bit of a nightmare for our managers.

But underneath it all, we really just want to feel like we're doing well, which takes a bit of validation and support. At work, we want to feel like someone sees our potential and is helping us get there. And if we don't get that? The only way we can achieve the feeling of accomplishment is through a promotion or a job jump.

Why coaching matters more than promotions

Here’s the thing: workplaces can’t always offer a new role, a promotion, or the next career step, and we know that. There just aren’t enough seats at the table.

But promotions aren't the only way to help people grow and feel  successful. That's where coaching comes in.

Coaching is the key to experiencing growth and success every day. It’s the supportive feedback you get after a tricky meeting. It’s the advice you get on how to phrase something differently to get better buy-in with your next client or customer. It’s in the encouragement to stretch yourself, and the gentle nudge to try again after you make a mistake.

Promotions might change your job title, but coaching changes you. It grows your skills, your mindset, and your confidence. It helps you become a better version of yourself, not just a better employee.

My growth thanks to coaching

I haven’t had a promotion since I started in my role. But I can say, hand on heart, that I’ve grown more here than anywhere else I’ve worked. And that’s because of coaching.

Through in-the-moment feedback, daily encouragement, and weekly 1-to-1 meetings, my manager has been the catalyst for change. She's helped me:

• Improve my emotional intelligence, making me more aware of how I show up and how I manage my frustration in difficult meetings.
• Reword my questions so I can get the information I need to learn from feedback, without being defensive.
• Have difficult conversations with confidence, instead of avoiding them.
• Adjust to working with different personalities and styles, especially those who used to clash with my way of working.
• Hold my own in meetings with senior leaders and big personalities who used to make me feel so incredibly anxious.
• And control my facial expressions and body language in conversations so I don't look grumpy when I'm thinking (something I was completely unaware I was doing—why did no one tell me before!)

This growth isn’t written in my job description, and it's not attached to a promotion or pay rise. But as a stereotypical, promotion-seeking Gen Z, I don't care. My manager is helping me grow every day and helping me see that growth in myself. She hasn't just made me a better person to work with—she's made me a better version of myself.

Why would I leave a workplace that helps me grow?

Sure, another workplace might offer me a new title or a bigger role. But what’s far harder to find is a manager who is genuinely invested in helping me grow.

No criticism or frustration, just someone who understands and accepts me for me, and helps me make small adjustments every day.

That’s why I stayed. Why would I leave when I've found someone who has my back, believes in my potential, and coaches me to be better?

Why you should coach your people

If you want to engage your Gen Z team members—and, honestly, any generation—coaching is the answer. It’s what speaks to our desire for growth, our need for feedback, and our drive to keep improving.

You don’t have to create a new role every six months to keep us, and you don’t have to promise rapid promotions. What we really want is to feel like someone is invested in us and helping us improve.

Coaching does that, and it builds confidence, loyalty, and capability. Your people won't chase growth and opportunity elsewhere if you help them work on themselves daily. A workplace that coaches doesn’t just grow their employees—it grows people. And that’s the real reason team members like me choose to stay.

If you're a leader, then be a coach

If you’re a leader, here’s the challenge: don’t think coaching has to mean training programmes and promotion opportunities. You don't have to become a technical expert who facilitates training for your team, and you don't even need to teach them.

Coaching is simpler and more powerful than that.

Just help your team members be better people and teammates. Give daily feedback—positive and constructive. Offer friendly advice and support. Create opportunities for your team members to practice new skills. And be the person who believes in them, encourages them, and wants to help.

Do that, and you’ll give your people a reason to stay—even us difficult, job-jumping, promotion-seeking, growth-hunting Gen Zs.