Gen Z and millennials prioritize their happiness over unemployment, presenting organizations with the challenge of retaining them !

?? As individuals age, they often place a higher priority on employment than on happiness.

??Happiness is a variable state, often changing daily or weekly; hence, researchers have focused on more stable traits to delve deeper into the sentiment of being unemployed versus unhappy.

?? There is a strong relationship between workplace discrimination and people who would rather be unemployed than unhappy.

?? People who lack connections at work often express a preference for unemployment over being unhappy in their job.

Nearly half of Gen Z workers who report feeling overloaded say they would rather be unemployed than unhappy.

??Individuals facing discrimination in the workplace are 2.5 times more inclined to prefer unemployment over their current job situation compared to those who do not face discrimination.

?? Furthermore, approximately 70% of individuals across various age groups who have reported experiencing discrimination express a preference for unemployment, according to a new interesting research published by ADP Research using data ??from a monthly survey of 2,500 U.S. workers, the study examined generational age groups ranging from 18 to 58 to gauge sentiment among workers from the onset of their careers to those nearing retirement.

?Generation Z prefers happiness over unemployment.

Researchers found that as individuals age, they tend to prioritize employment over happiness. While 46 percent of the youngest workers would prefer to be jobless than unhappy, this sentiment is shared by only 28% of those aged 40 to 58.

?? Researchers attribute this difference to the likelihood that younger workers have fewer financial commitments and family responsibilities anchoring them to a steady income. Moreover, their formative career experiences during the pandemic prompted a widespread reassessment of work-life balance.

?Unhappiness is not related to money.

Researchers also discovered that happiness is absolutely not related to Pay.

?Relationship between workplace discrimination and unhappiness

Researchers have discovered a strong relationship between workplace discrimination and individuals preferring unemployment over an unhappy work environment.

Indeed, they found that employees experiencing discrimination at work are 2.5 times more likely to say they would rather be unemployed than people who aren’t. Across all age groups, about 70 percent of people who report experiencing discrimination say they would rather be unemployed.

?Link between connection at work and happiness

Researchers also found that the difference between people who would sacrifice their job for happiness and those who wouldn’t comes down to feeling valued.

?? Gen Z who feel disconnected at work are often the ones most inclined to prefer unemployment over their current job situation.

?Correlation between Turnover and happiness at work

Researchers found that people who say they would rather be without a job than be unhappy in fact do have a greater likelihood of following through with leaving: 38% of them are actively looking for work outside their current employer,

?? Although Gen Z workers are more inclined to prioritize happiness over employment, they are less likely than their millennial and Gen X counterparts to be actively seeking or interviewing for new job opportunities.

?? Finally researchers have provided two recommendations for leaders to comprehend why an employee might choose to resign rather than remain unhappy at work:

??Talk about workplace discrimination with your employees. Discrimination could be felt for a variety of?personal reasons or factors, such as how an employee is treated by their peers and managers, and it could vary significantly for each generation.

?? Be open about discussing stress in the workplace and how employees are feeling. Try to pinpoint the triggers of negative stress and determine ways to minimize them while identifying and seeking out activities that deliver positive, energizing stress.

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This interesting research examine factors such as discrimination, connection, and stress to understand why an employee might choose to leave rather than remain unhappy at work. Among all age groups, Gen Z workers who prefer unemployment over unhappiness report the highest levels of discrimination and stress, along with the lowest levels of connection.

This study indicates that many Gen Z employees may continue to work in environments where they face discrimination, feel disconnected, and experience high stress—essentially, places where they are unhappy. For employers, this situation is a nightmare, and the study serves as a wake-up call for leaders to foster an environment where this generation can prosper and positively influence the business.

Thank you ?? ADP Research researchers team for these insightful findings:

Mary Hayes Jared Northup

Dave Ulrich

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