The standard nine to five is a myth. That is, at least, if you work in a corporation where standard working times might stretch to seven, ten, or beyond. For many, the traditional corporate job is less a career path and more a health-depleting endurance test built on hierarchies, endless jargon, and the obligatory corporate dinner – which, let’s be real, is only ever held to make the higher-ups feel better about themselves.
Don’t get me wrong. Working in a corporation can have a lot of perks, especially in terms of stability. For many younger people today however, it’s no longer the popular route. With Gen Z in the workplace, a lot of what we deemed ‘traditional’ is now changing. An article shared by Deloitte described Gen Z as “radically different than Millennials […] this generation has an entirely unique perspective on careers and how to define success in life and in the workforce.”
For decades, professional success was defined by higher titles and bigger salaries. The corporate ladder was the only measure of one’s value in the workplace. The busier, more exhausted, and overworked someone is, the more successful they presented themselves to be. Burnout wasn’t a warning sign; it was proof of dedication. Even today, a lot of people, especially ‘millennials’, are caught in the typical corporate job, running after titles and raises and an endless strive for perfectionism. Meanwhile, they barely manage to balance mental health, social life and work all together.
This perspective on corporations does not necessarily stand true today. After the pandemic forced a change in how we all work, and after Gen Z began to join the workforce, the traditional view of ‘hustle’ culture changed. With less office presence as well as many companies now viewing onboarding as a rushed process to be completed during the first day rather than one of proper integration, and a big focus on comfort, younger generations who were then entering the workforce are now constantly trying to find that same level of leniency in today’s working world.
With the realisation that this ideal balance of health and work does not exist came the phenomenon of ‘quiet quitting.’ Quiet quitting refers to doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.
What came as a result of the pandemic has now embedded itself in today’s reality. More and more Gen-Z workers are refusing the long hours and other unfair conditions that come with full-time work and are opting for alternatives. As a result, employers are spending more time evolving their methods, creating multiple career paths and attractive packages, focusing as well on diversity. If not, Gen-Z are creating the solutions themselves.
While Millennials are accustomed to in-person meetings, Gen-Z prefer coming into the office only a few days a week, making hybrid culture more prominent. Millennials might have separated their personal life from their professional life, but Gen-Z have no problem blurring those lines and mixing their personal with their professional. Unwilling to keep quiet, Gen-Z are also changing the dynamics around the involvement of employers and their empathy. They no longer want someone who just gives them tasks; they want someone they can talk to. But most importantly, what was once a taboo in professional environments – mental health – has now become a normalised topic, with Gen-Z leading this movement.
Where these conditions are not met, or half-met, Gen-Z feel like they don’t belong. This prompts them to seek alternatives such as starting their own companies or working on a freelance basis, alternatives that allow them to prioritise their health. With the prominence of social media in our day-to-day life, it’s hard to ignore videos at the beach in Bali or clinking glasses in Italy, captioned ‘where I want your email to find me.’ This is not a reality for the majority, who – even if they choose to freelance – cannot afford the luxury of constant travel due to the difficulty of finding projects and haphazard pay. Nonetheless, the allure and possibility of such a lax lifestyle and freedom, coupled with the hardships of nine-to-five, make Gen-Z seek out opportunities of their own, mainly being their own bosses. Furthermore, some older risk-takers are following suit and replacing the corporate ladder with a more focused, balanced and satisfactory type of career.
It feels like there has been a significant and irreversible cultural shift, leaving corporations with a clear choice: either yield to the times, or continue to experience dysfunctional turnover at higher rates. If Gen Z are the future of work, then it is little wonder they are fed up with living – and working – in the past.
Words by Tala Ladki
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