Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs: 'Work To Live,' Not 'Live To Work'

Younger employees now prefer "work to live" over "live to work."

Gen Zs now prioritize their personal lives over their jobs. This was revealed by Ravin Jesuthasan, global leader for transformation services at consulting giant Mercer.

The future work expert shared his comments during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs: 'Work To Live' Rather Than 'Live To Work'
Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs: 'Work To Live' Rather Than 'Live To Work' Mikey Harris on Unsplash

While other business elites focused on artificial intelligence and other more serious topics, Jesthasan decided to focus on a simpler yet more relevant happening in the corporate world.

Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs

If you are a Gen Z, then you know how older people tend to boast about how they spend more than eight hours at work. They even criticize younger employees since they don't put extra effort into their jobs.

However, Gen Zs argue that it is important to stop working when their shifts end and only to put efforts equal to what employers pay them.

This is true, as explained by Jesuthasan, who says that Gen Zs in the corporate world have very different attitudes toward work compared to older generations.

The future-of-work expert said that Gen Zs have different attitudes toward work because they are the first generation that are expected to have less wealth than their parents or grandparents.

Aside from this, they were also greatly affected after experiencing the disruptions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic and other issues globally.

"I think they have more of an attitude of work to live as opposed to live to work that many of us grew up with. This is particularly true in the West," said Ravin Jesuthasan via Yahoo News.

Broken Promises for Employees

Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs: 'Work To Live' Rather Than 'Live To Work'
Expert Explains Why Gen Zs Prioritize Personal Lives Over Jobs: 'Work To Live' Rather Than 'Live To Work' Jason Strull on Unsplash

Rivan Jesuthasan explained why Gen Zs are prioritizing their lives over their jobs. One of the main reasons is the broken promises.

He said that in many parts of the West, many employees have been promised that they could receive pension, retiree medical care, and other benefits if they work for 30 years or more.

However, many workers were unable to get all these despite spending more than 30 years working for large companies, as reported by Business Insider.

"And so they've seen that get taken away from their parents or grandparents," said Jesuthasan.

Because of this, Gen Zs are starting to quit and step back at their jobs since they are "painfully" aware that their extreme efforts at work could "amount to nothing."

Jesuthasan suggested that if companies want Gen Zs and other young employees to value their jobs as they value their personal lives, they should begin meeting people on their terms.

He said that instead of a one-size-fits-all method, businesses should start allowing employees to choose from a portfolio of benefits.


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