27.11.2025
“Is it time to remove job titles?” It’s a question many leaders are now asking as work becomes more fluid and impact matters more than hierarchy. Organisations are moving from status to substance, focusing less on labels and more on the value people create. For businesses operating at the sharp end of productivity, that clarity is becoming a real competitive edge.
“Removing or rethinking titles can absolutely modernise culture, but only if you replace them with something that gives equal or greater clarity, purpose and accountability. Otherwise, it’s chaos disguised as empowerment,” said Katie Winstanley, our Group HR Director for Raconteur.
Katie has seen plenty of organisations chase the next big workplace trend. Some stick. Most don’t. The latest debate – whether job titles still matter – is one that cuts right to the heart of how businesses organise, motivate and retain their people.
For decades, titles have acted as a compass for careers. They told people where they stood and signposted where they could go next. But today, in a world built on agility rather than hierarchy, those labels are starting to look a little old-world.
And according to Winstanley, the answer isn’t ripping titles out entirely. It’s designing something sharper.
When job titles stop adding clarity
Workforces have become littered with an expanding menu of “managers”, “leads”, “officers”, “specialists” and “directors”. Instead of providing structure, many titles now obscure it.
Research shows that:
- 92% of US workers believe companies inflate titles to imply progression with no real increase in responsibility or pay.
- 34% feel “title trapped”, holding impressive-sounding roles but no meaningful development path.
This creates a talent problem: individuals stuck in static roles, businesses stuck with unclear frameworks, and leaders stuck with inconsistent expectations.
Some organisations have responded by scrapping titles altogether. Gusto has worked this way for years. AXA Switzerland removed titles entirely in 2024. ElevenLabs uses departmental identity instead of rigid hierarchy.
The instinct is understandable… but the execution is often perilous.
Gen Z doesn’t chase titles – they chase meaning
The generational shift is undeniable. Only 6% of Gen Z say their primary ambition is to reach a leadership position. Their focus is on skill acquisition, personal growth, work with meaning and a healthier work/life balance.
When promotions feel like a fast track to stress rather than fulfilment, traditional ladders lose their shine. Research backs this up: 64% of UK workers would turn down a promotion to protect their wellbeing.
For organisations reliant on top-down progression frameworks, this is a flashing warning light. Talent will move to where purpose beats posturing.
Less hierarchy, more humanity – but proceed with caution
Reducing titles can lower “power distance”, improve teamwork and push ideas to stand on merit rather than seniority. According to Professor Michael Smets (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford), this can create fertile ground for innovation.
But remove too much structure, and organisations quickly slide into ambiguity.
Without clear titles:
- Decision-making becomes political
- Accountability becomes blurred
- Employees struggle to see how they are progressing
- Power shifts into informal networks rather than visible roles
In other words: fewer titles don’t automatically mean fewer hierarchy problems.
“It lives or dies on design, not ideology.” – Katie Winstanley
Katie is clear: the debate isn’t about whether titles are good or bad. It’s about whether the organisation has a coherent alternative.
A title-less workplace sounds progressive in theory, but the real world is messier. “It lives or dies on design, not ideology,” she says.
“Removing or rethinking titles can absolutely modernise culture, but only if you replace them with something that gives equal or greater clarity, purpose and accountability. Otherwise, it’s chaos disguised as empowerment.”
Her view is rooted in practicality:
- Titles shouldn’t symbolise power.
- They should communicate purpose.
- They should help people navigate their careers.
- They should reflect contribution rather than hierarchy.
Smart organisations are already shifting toward functional, skill-oriented language – “Skills Architect” instead of “Senior Manager”, “Client Partner” instead of “Head of”. Not inflated, not vague, just clear.
“Language matters,” Winstanley notes, “but structure matters more.”
What it really takes to run a title-light organisation
Removing or reframing titles only works inside a culture that’s open, progressive and mature enough to handle it. According to HR expert Ruth Cornish, the fundamentals must be watertight:
1. Clear pay bands
Skills, experience and impact must be tied transparently to reward – otherwise fairness evaporates.
2. Defined career levels
These levels should describe scope and responsibility, not hierarchy. People need to understand how to move, grow and contribute.
3. Skills matrices
Mapping technical, behavioural and leadership skills helps employees see what “good” looks like and how to get there.
4. Recognition systems
If titles shrink, recognition must grow. People need to feel seen for their impact.
5. Measurement
The impact of removing titles must be tracked – retention, engagement, recruitment quality and employee sentiment.
Do these elements well, and a title-light model becomes liberating. Get them wrong, and you remove stability without giving employees the structure they rely on.
The bottom line: titles aren’t the issue – clarity is
The question isn’t whether job titles should disappear. It’s whether they still serve a purpose.
For many organisations, the opportunity lies in reframing titles rather than erasing them. Looser hierarchies, sharper role definitions, stronger capability frameworks and clearer progression routes.
As Katie Winstanley puts it:
“Titles should shift away from being labels of power to indicators of purpose. They should communicate function and contribution, not status.”
The future won’t be title-free.
But it will be title-smarter.
This article was originally featured in Raconteur and adapted for Morson Edge.
