In Hong Kong and beyond, employers need to rethink the career ladder

For decades, the rules of career success seemed straightforward. Work hard, impress your boss, get promoted and earn more.

A bigger title was proof of progress, while turning down a promotion was often seen as a lack of ambition. But a younger generation is beginning to question this formula.

What if getting promoted makes your working life worse? A growing trend in Western workplaces, known as “job dropping”, describes employees voluntarily stepping away from management positions, declining...