Career Minimalism: Strategic Work Design for Sustainable Professional Lives
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Career Minimalism: Strategic Work Design for Sustainable Professional Lives
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Abstract: Career minimalism represents a fundamental shift in how professionals—particularly Generation Z and millennials—conceptualize work's role in their lives. Rather than pursuing traditional upward mobility at all costs, career minimalists prioritize stability, boundaries, and fulfillment through secure employment, clear work-life separation, and diversified skill development. This article examines the emergence of career minimalism as a response to chronic workplace burnout, economic volatility, and evolving generational values. Drawing on organizational psychology, human resource management, and labor economics literature, we analyze the individual and organizational consequences of this philosophy and identify evidence-based practices for supporting sustainable career approaches. We argue that career minimalism is not withdrawal from work but strategic energy allocation—a recalibration of the psychological contract between employees and employers that prioritizes long-term resilience over short-term advancement. Organizations that understand and accommodate this shift stand to benefit from improved retention, reduced burnout, and access to diverse talent seeking meaningful but bounded employment relationships.