The Rise Of Bullsh*t Jobs: Why Gen Z Hates Work

Ever heard someone say, “I facilitate stakeholder alignment across cross-functional work streams,” and wondered what they actually do? If you’ve set foot in the corporate world, you’ve probably encountered job titles and explanations that sound both impressive and baffling. This kind of jargon can make even project management roles sound mysterious—sometimes even to the people who hold those titles.

But vague job descriptions aren’t just corporate in-jokes. Many employees in white-collar settings report feeling disconnected from tangible accomplishments. In fact, some say they can complete their required work in mere hours, while others admit to spending long days at the office with little sense of real achievement.

The Origins of Corporate Bloat

To understand how we got here, it helps to look back at the Industrial Revolution, when expanding industries needed complex management structures to coordinate vast workforces. Innovations like Frederick Taylor’s “scientific management” treated workers almost like machines, focusing on hyper-efficiency—even if this mostly benefited management.

Later, the “M-form” (multi-divisional form) structure became the norm: dividing companies into specialized teams, each with its own middle managers. This was supposed to increase efficiency, but also led to sprawling hierarchies. Efforts to “flatten” organizations have come and gone—shareholders in the ‘80s and ‘90s tried to reduce management bloat, but the complexities of global business brought the managers (and their sometimes-cryptic roles) right back.

Confusing Titles, Fuzzy Duties

Climbing the corporate ladder often means taking on a manager title, whether or not real management is needed. Job titles like “Business Optimization Specialist” or “Synergy Manager” abound, and sometimes even employees struggle to explain what they do day to day. Promotions are frequently tied to new titles instead of more meaningful or specialized work.

A 2022 Harvard Business School study found that managers made up 13% of the U.S. labor force, up from just 9.2% in 1983. Yet many say their workday is dominated by “work about work”—meetings, emails, and status updates, not skilled or creative output.

AI and the “Great Flattening”

One would think technology, especially AI, would help cut down on busy work or unnecessary roles. In some ways, it has: generative AI has reportedly reduced time spent on email and routine documents, and some large companies are once again pushing to cut middle management layers. Amazon, for example, is raising the ratio of individual contributors to managers—but this often just shifts extra reporting and admin work to frontline employees, not always making work itself more meaningful.

Do These Jobs Matter?

Despite the frustrations, quality managers—those who actually enable communication and solve problems—are often essential to preventing organizational chaos. The problem is the sheer excess and occasional misplacement of such roles. Too many layers? Costs increase for everyone, sometimes driving up the price of what the company sells.

Ultimately, dissatisfaction seems connected less to job titles or “BS” work per se, and more to the lack of perceived accomplishment. If workers feel their real skills aren’t being used, or that bureaucracy stifles meaningful output, it’s no wonder they check out.

The Bottom Line:
Corporate bloat and confusing job titles are symptoms of bigger organizational and economic complexities. While AI may trim some busywork, the quest for a sense of purpose at work—and for leaner, more functional corporate structures—is far from over.