Gen Z will quit unfulfilling jobs without a backup plan

Gen Zers don’t stigmatise “job-hopping”, according to a new study by management consulting firm Oliver Wyman. They are happy to quit unfulfilling jobs that don’t offer the perks they want, including flexible schedules and work-life balance – and are always on the lookout for better opportunities. The research found almost 70% of Gen Zers who claim they are “loyal” to their employees are either actively or passively seeking a new job.

Oliver Wyman, in order to analyse what effect “the largest and most disruptive generation ever” will have on long-established business practices, made 10,000 Gen Zers aged 18 to 25 take a survey.

Gen Z, representing people born between 1997 and 2012, lost much of their youth to Covid-19. They are, therefore, always on the lookout for a sustainable work-life balance and are not ready to climb the corporate ladder while putting leisure time at stake. Moreover, they are even prepared to quit without a backup plan, more than previous generations.

Why Gen Z is job hopping?

Forbes reports three reasons – retirement benefits have changed, younger generations are bored, and employees expect more from their employers.

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As per Oliver Wyman’s research, compared to previous generations, Gen Zers view work in “a more transactional manner” and have “a lengthy list of demands”. In particular, they are fond of jobs that offer mental health support, comprehensive healthcare coverage, institutional transparency, and flexibility.

At least 85% of Gen Zers prefer a remote or hybrid work pattern. Scores of survey respondents started working during the pandemic, when most offices were shuttered, so have “no interest in soul-sucking commutes.”

This means employers seeking to recruit as well as ‘retain’ Gen Zers must offer employees flexibility and more time off, and need to show that they support diversity.