How Gen Z Prioritizes Work-Life Balance
We all wish we had more time in the day; more time to spend with family and friends, more time to accomplish all of our tasks, more time to focus on ourselves etc. With the New Year upon us, time seems to be in even shorter supply these days as we rush to our newfound resolutions for the year.
While work life balance has been a struggle for generations, as the world changes so does the approach to work life balance. In this article, I examine ways Gen Z are prioritizing their work-life balance in the workforce right now.
Defining What Gen Z Wants From Work
According to a survey by Gallup, Gen Z (people over the age of 18) and Millennials make up 46% of the full-time workforce in the U.S. The same poll found that both generations want to work for and with companies and organizations who care about their well being.
Gen Z is the newest generation of adults struggling to find a work life balance. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index Report found that 60% of Gen Z feel that they are “merely surviving or flat-out struggling right now.”
The oldest of Gen Z adults are only 25 years old, meaning that those in this 60% are in the infancy of their careers or still in the process of moving from the role of student to that of working professional. A survey by Bankrate found that 55% of working Americans “say they’re either somewhat or very likely to look for a new job in the next year.” The same poll found that the 55%, consisted of 77% of Gen Z, 63% of Millennials, and only 33% of Boomers.
So what is Gen Z looking for in their work? Balance! Gen Z workers want to feel connected to their work, want to be challenged, appreciate working independently and value organizations that are technologically savvy and promote social justice and understanding in their culture. If organizations are willing to understand what Gen Z wants from work and provide that, Gen Z workers tend to be very loyal and are inclined to stay at a job for a decent amount of time.
Impact Of Hustle Culture & “The Great Resignation”
Like many of my peers in the Gen Z generational cohort, I follow hustle culture, working as hard as I can through as much of the day as possible trying to get ahead.
While hustle culture may seem like the exact thing you need to do to get ahead, what are we losing?
Currently I don’t work in a job I want or even in the industry I hope to be in long term. In the spring, I’ll be starting a master’s program, but I will still be working a full-time job and still challenged in finding time for my family, friends, and myself.
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It’s not easy now and it won’t be easier when I start my program. At this point, despite having a full-time job, I fall into the 77% of Gen Z looking for a better job this year because I will be moving to another state when my lease ends and even if my job is able to accommodate remote work, it would likely only be part time which won’t work for me.
What has been dubbed “the Great Resignation” is the movement of workers refusing to stick out a bad fit job because they are scared of seeking something new. It is the realization, spurred by the pandemic, that workers deserve better and that we have the power to demand better.
Have you heard the phrase: “everywhere is hiring right now but no one can find a job”? This is an attempted manipulation, which further spurs on the desire to quit in search of greener pastures. Low paying service industries are the hardest hit and also the worst culprits, putting out ads saying they are hiring, but not bringing in anyone new because they would rather pay less to offset the losses of the last two years.
This puts more stress on workers who feel abused and when they demand change and are told they are replaceable, more and more the response is becoming: “OK. Replace me.” Gen Z workers are demanding better work environments, more flexibility and balance in their work lives and better pay and if companies can’t accommodate that, workers are leaving.
Seeking A Balance
Finding a balance feels impossible. In fact, instead of balance, it really feels more like a juggling act, but that has not stopped Gen Z from making work life balance a priority. Gen Z wants employers to focus on inclusion and diversity and show that they actually care about their workers.
When you explore Gen Z’s favorite platforms such as TikTok, you’ll find common threads such as the refusal to work for a company that makes you feel undervalued or easily replaceable. The pandemic especially has brought this issue into focus with the new or lack of safety precautions, extra stress, and the loss of jobs and income.
It ends up being a simple issue: Why should I care about you if you don’t care about me?
Related:
4 Signs The 9-to-5 Workday is Going The Way of The Dinosaurs
3 Ways To Determine If An Employer Supports Mental Health At Work
Alternatives To Quitting Your Job in the Post-Pandemic Great Resignation
Meet The Writer!
Hi! I’m Madeline Jefferson. I am a freelance writer, editor, and designer who has a wide breadth of experience and knowledge on many subjects including: fiction writing, religion, law, politics, history, literature, chronic illness, and mental health. I have a B.A. in Religion and Middle Eastern Studies from Washington and Lee University, and am beginning a Masters in Publishing through George Washington University. As a freelancer I offer services such as: blog writing, copywriting, ghostwriting, manuscript editing, and print and digital design. You can find me on: LinkedIn; Twitter, Instagram; and on my website: https://www.madelinejefferson.com/.
