Older generations regularly accuse young people of being lazy and work-shy. But they fail to acknowledge the valid reasons why people don’t want to work anymore. Younger Brits no longer find joy in the workaholic culture, and here are the different reasons why.
Low Wages
People who don’t want to work usually just don’t want to work jobs that barely pay a living wage. Wages aren’t currently rising enough to reflect the increasing cost of living, so many people are sacrificing things in their personal lives. Being paid little for hard work devalues our effort.
Poor Work-Life Balance
Most people are happy to work hard, knowing they also have plenty of personal time to enjoy, but that’s not the case for everyone. Some people are forced to work long shifts or late nights to make ends meet, so they have a poor work-life balance. This lack of personal time makes them resent working.
Lack of Passion
Going to work is a breeze when you love your job. Unfortunately, many people are forced to work jobs they’re not passionate about to earn enough money to live on. Some outright hate their jobs, whereas others may have enjoyed them originally but lost their passion due to bad workplaces or unfulfilling projects.
Poor Working Conditions
Poor working conditions are one of the main reasons people leave their jobs. Things like uncomfortable furniture and rooms that are too hot or cold sound insignificant, but they’re examples of bad working conditions. In some workplaces, harassment and abuse are the norm, and people are rightfully refusing to accept them anymore.
Burnout
Unfortunately, it’s easy to get burned out from working too much. The workaholic culture encourages us to persevere, but this is terrible for our mental health. Mayo Clinic warns that job burnout can make you feel drained, irritable, and unable to cope. Unsurprisingly, people don’t want to work when it makes them ill.
Bad Bosses
A team is only as good as their boss, and bad bosses have the potential to drive employees out of a company. Bosses who criticize, undermine, offend, and berate their employees disillusion them and make them dread going to work. Nobody wants to be put in such a vulnerable position, even if they’re being paid.
Impossible Entry Requirements
It’s a lie to claim people are too lazy to work because most apply for jobs, but the recruitment process is so exhausting and unrewarding that they want to give up. Nowadays, almost every job requires a college degree and work experience, but the salary rarely matches the requirements, so roles remain open indefinitely.
Little Reward
Some might say your reward for working is your salary, but that’s not much consolation when you often end up doing so much extra work. Companies want to retain strong employees but don’t want to reward them by offering incentives like bonuses on a regular basis. When people discover this, they do the bare minimum.
Not Enough Vacations
One of the biggest problems with employment is the lack of a national minimum requirement for vacation days. In Europe, employees can only enjoy 20-30 days of paid vacation every year, and the culture of working nonstop all year makes working far less appealing.
Stress
Work-related stress is nothing to joke about. Harvard Business Review reports that 43% of employees report daily stress, and up to 61% feel on the edge of burnout, so it’s no wonder many dread going to work. Unfortunately, many companies don’t take stress seriously, so their employees suffer.
Minimal Career Progression
Career aspirations are always about progressing, but many people struggle to move up the ladder. It’s frustrating when your role offers minimal opportunities for career progression, or you’ve got a career-blocker manager. Some people lose their passion for working when they become trapped in an unfulfilling role.
Inflation
Thanks to inflation, everything is more expensive nowadays. Food, water, electricity, and gas are just four examples of necessities many people struggle to afford. Working for a living seems pointless if you can barely survive on the money you make, so lots of people are wondering why we bother.
Unrealistic Cultural Expectations
Society sometimes expects too much of its workforce. American work culture, in particular, is all about keeping your head down and working hard, sometimes without daily breaks or yearly vacations, to climb the corporate ladder. When people want to enjoy their lives outside of work, they’re branded ‘idle’.
Poor Sleep
Not getting enough sleep doesn’t just exhaust you; it can cause serious physical health conditions, like heart disease and stroke. People who work anti-social hours and long, grueling shifts rarely get enough sleep. Sooner or later, their unhealthy sleep schedules catch up with them, and the mental and physical strain is too much.
Changing Lifestyles
You have more freedom to enjoy your career when you’re young and can work long hours or travel to different places. However, when your lifestyle starts to change, especially if you have children, you realize there’s more to life than working all the time. Most people hate sacrificing personal and family time for their jobs.
Desire For Happiness
If there’s one thing we all want, it’s to be happy. Some people love working, but most people find more joy in other things. We spend the majority of our lives working when we could be doing things that bring us genuine happiness instead. Time is precious, but we waste so much of it working.
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