Why Millennials and GenZs Are Rejecting the Current Model of Work
The era of the ‘great reshuffle’ or you could call it the ‘great resignation’ is upon us. Employees who once thought they’ve finally settled into their jobs have now decided to move on and discover new opportunities. In the month of April, about 4 million Americans decided to leave their jobs. And in July, the number of resignations still kept going up at a steady pace. While conducting my research I came across another interesting survey by Adobe that clearly stated that this newfound era of ‘great resignation’ was led by the younger generation.
According to this study by Adobe, nearly 35% of corporate workers in countries like the US, Japan, France, and Australia, have expressed that they initially planned to switch their job in the next year. The numbers seemed to be even higher for freshers who had recently started building their careers. Among millennials, 49% planned to look for a new job; for Gen Z, it was 56%.
After a thorough study on this huge shift in the mindset as well as career choices of today's working class, here are the top four reasons according to me that are causing the millennials and GenZs to reject the current model of work.
●?????Blame it on the burnout: The pandemic has been quite emotionally stressful for everyone. Amidst this emotional stress, employers and several corporate managers have been pushing employees to attend late-night meetings and be available at all times. The survey by Adobe also states that about 57% of Gen Z and 54% of millennials are constantly stressed due to the availability issue and they tend to find their jobs monotonous and uninteresting.
●?????The need to reskill is on the rise: In most of the case studies I went through, I found that the majority of the young working crowd dropped out of their jobs without a concrete backup plan. As per The Wall Street Journal, these young professionals have no intention of getting a new job any time soon. They want to work on their skills and evolve creatively before embarking on a new career path.
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●?????Comfort level with remote work has increased: After the lockdown, people have gotten quite comfortable with the remote working environment. Keeping the availability criteria aside, the option of working from home provides the working class with much-needed flexibility. In my opinion, the option of remote working is truly quite appealing considering the reduction of travel time and costs.
●?????Embracing freelance culture: The gig economy is slowly spreading its roots all over the world. Not only because of the flexibility and convenience it offers but because of the variety of projects you get to choose from. As a freelancer, you can work on multiple projects as per your liking and say no to the ones that don't interest you. With a regular job, this kind of liberty is a far-fetched dream.
The pandemic has changed our thought processes, choices and lifestyles to a great extent. What once felt like a stable career isn't quite stable anymore with the air of uncertainty that surrounds us. Most of the people today have started valuing their personal time and mental health over a stressful job that doesn't appreciate their efforts and I truly believe that this change has happened for the best.