“It’s Not Worth It!” How the Stress of Higher Status Contributes to Advancement Hesitancy

Upward occupational mobility is commonly seen as a desirable outcome—with it comes increased pay, authority, and status. The stress of higher status thesis, however, reveals that higher status jobs are also associated with increased demands, responsibility, and work-life conflict. This conundrum complicates the way workers rationalize prospects of career advancement. Analyzing focus group interviews among a sample of underpaid workers ( N = 22), our results show that in their rationalizations about the prospects of advancement, some underpaid workers anticipate the stress of higher status and express a disinclination toward pursuing upward occupational mobility. Crucial to these deliberations are feelings of being undervalued in their current role, which creates doubts about whether they will be appropriately compensated in a higher status position. Career stage and broader life course considerations also play a key role in determining whether a boost in status is “worth” the associated increase in stress.