Young people don't want to have to work in the same way as their elders. — AFP
SURVEYS and opinion polls suggest that the corporate world no longer meets the professional and personal aspirations of the younger generation. Instagram’s 2023 annual report supports this view, demonstrating the appeal of self-employment to the under-25s.
The research suggests that members of Gen Z are self-starters. They believe that the best way to get rich is not to climb the corporate ladder, but rather to start their own. A third of those questioned think they have a better chance of achieving wealth by working for themselves, one way or another.
Contrary to popular opinion, young people are not reluctant to work. The reality is far more nuanced and complex than some would suggest.
Newcomers to the job market are no longer willing to put up with working like their elders. They are ready to leave the workforce to be more in tune with their values and aspirations, even if they don’t necessarily have other career opportunities.
In fact, being “unapologetically myself” is one of Gen Z’s three resolutions for the new year, according to a report by Instagram.
Your own boss
Starting your own business lends itself well to this. Being your own boss means you can decide on your own working hours and organisation.
But that doesn’t protect you from burnout. Setting up your own business often means staying hyper-connected and working long hours to keep up with the competition.
But research published in 2022 in the Journal of Business Venturing claims that entrepreneurs are no more at risk of burnout than salaried employees. In fact, the risk is even lower, due to the positive psychological effects associated with working for yourself.
Young people’s attraction to self-employment is a crucial issue for employers. Businesses need to learn how to attract and retain a generation that is less comfortable with immobility than those who preceded it.
People under 25 want to be given interesting assignments that match their skills and expectations, as soon as they join the company. They don’t want to wait to move up in the hierarchy before doing a job they enjoy, as their elders did before them.
If the expectations they have of their company aren’t fulfilled, young professionals don’t hesitate to explore different ways of working. More and more of them are becoming entrepreneurs, freelancers or slashers (workers with multiple jobs).
In short, they’re on the lookout for options that enable them to achieve professional fulfilment. To do so, young people even seem ready to change careers. According to Instagram’s report, exploring a career path is one of their main goals this year, behind being healthy. – AFP Relaxnews
