Zoomers have been repeatedly criticised by representatives of the older generation. They still complain about Gen Zers living with their parents, not wanting to work 16 hours a day and, above all, being demanding. However, these are just stereotypes, as a recent study on unemployment proved.

It turns out that young Poles are so willing to work not because they want to, but because the situation has forced them to. The Deloitte report shows that Gen Z members need to earn extra money and are increasingly complaining about job burnout. Are the young working too hard because they can't afford iPhones?

According to the Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z & Millenial Survey, young people are increasingly worried about the rising cost of living. This concern was cited by 48 per cent of Generation Z and 53 per cent of Millenials in the survey. What is more, they are more often concerned about this problem than other young people in the world, as the result of Polish Zoomers was 12 percentage points higher.

Although we can boast of low unemployment, Poland has the problem of youth overworking. The Deloitte report shows that as many as 30 per cent of Zoomers earn their living on top of their basic salaries. 29 per cent of Generation Y representatives are also forced to do so.

Unfortunately, this also translates into their mental health. The level of feeling of professional burnout among Generation Z representatives is already 52 per cent and has increased by 6 percentage points compared to 2021. 49 per cent of Generation Y respondents also feel this way. What's more, 46 per cent of Gen Zers feel stressed or anxious because of it.

What could be the solution to this problem? 30 per cent of respondents believe that a 4-day working day could help them achieve a work-life balance. 26 per cent of Generation Z representatives consider this skill to be the most important life attribute.

Evidence of the importance of work-life balance for Zoomers is certainly provided by the report showing that they do not care about career and money. Their mental health and social life are more important to them.

One might wonder why young people are supplementing their basic salary if they value work-life balance so much and are not interested in a career. The short answer is, it’s because they are still being offered unpaid or poorly paid internships.

Sure, someone might say that they also do it because they can't afford the life they want to lead. They buy coffee from a coffee shop too often, use Uber or spend money on expensive brands like Balenciaga and are unable to live without an iPhone. However, I would optimistically assume that they are more likely to choose to work extra because they can't afford therapy or housing, rather than because they are blowing money on unnecessary things.

Although the survey did not show why Generation Z representatives choose to take on extra work, one only has to look at inflation rate or rental housing prices to understand how difficult it can be for young people these days.

Source: PAP, Gazeta Prawna