"Management Position = Punishment Game" Felt by 56.7%! Chain of Promotion Avoidance and "Quiet Quitting" Seen in Survey of 300 People! Survey Results on Middle Management
A survey reveals that 56.7% of respondents feel that middle management positions are a "punishment game."
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 22:41
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 16, 2026 at 04:33 (389h 37m after Collected)
F&M Net Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, President and Representative Director: Yasuhiro Kamieda) conducted a survey on middle management among 300 men and women working in companies through the business media "Romu SEARCH" for the management department.
Survey Background
In modern Japanese companies, the environment surrounding middle management is undergoing drastic changes. What was once a symbol of career advancement, "promotion," is now undeniably perceived as a risk and a burden.
Romu SEARCH conducted a survey on middle management. Moving forward, Romu SEARCH will continue to conduct surveys that can solve the problems of the management department and disseminate valuable information that is useful for back-office operations.
■■Requests Regarding Citation and Reproduction of This Survey■■
When citing or reproducing data from this survey, please be sure to include the notation "Source: Romu SEARCH (https://romsearch.officestation.jp/report/53657)".
Main Survey Results
・Approximately 40% answered "Yes," and over half when including those in de facto management roles.
・A shocking 63.3% responded "I don't want to become a manager."
・The top reason cited is "Increased responsibility and pressure," followed by concerns about working hours.
・More than half feel that management positions have become a "punishment game."
・The main cause of stress is "pressure from superiors and management."
・Awareness is about 70%, but the percentage who "know well" is limited.
・Over 50% are conscious of working "within the minimum scope."
・"Efficiency" and "work-life balance" are the two major keywords.
・Expectations for individuals who do not make "management = punishment game" a reality.
● Approximately 40% answered "Yes," and over half when including those in de facto management roles
FAQ
What are the reasons for not wanting to become a manager?
The most common reason is 'increased responsibility and pressure', followed by 'fear of long working hours' and 'difficulty in training subordinates and managing interpersonal relationships'.
What does the 'punishment game' of management mean?
It refers to a situation where management roles feel like a 'punishment game' due to excessive workload, heightened sensitivity to harassment prevention, and the pressure of top-down directives.