One of the perfect exponents of this changing culture is 27-year-old Oxford graduate Simon van Teutem. Gen Z are increasingly disenchanted with what used to be a standard path for climbing to corporate career peaks, that is, after one had been targeted and placed into the very loftiness of a coveted position; van Teutem, too many would have been expected to settle into the stability and prestige of a big corporation.
But look now: a mass due resignation led by the young is taking place. This transposition isn’t just about demanding more money. It draws deep-seated meaning, a rejection against the outdated work structures, indifference towards a cause, and maniacal profit-seeking.
Gen Z wants independence and a work-life balance where personal values live in harmony with professional endeavors. The new profile of the independent millennial has thus risen, capturing attention among those opting for entrepreneurship, freelancing, or work within smaller mission-driven outfits.
Value-Action Gap: Purpose Over Profit
It reflects their personal ethical and social values in different aspects of life. In a corporate job, dishearteningly, the value-action gap actually permeates a lot of personal realities.
A survey recently revealed that about 70% of Gen Z are inclined to work for an organization that correlates with their own personal views on sustainability and social justice.
Although CSR reports are shinier than a new penny, large organizations failed to convince this generation of their true commitment.
Instead, they come across as ordinary cogs in a profit-oriented machine. Van Teutem’s generation considers corporate work to often be spiritually draining and bureaucratically heavy with “busywork” devoid of substantive impacts, ultimately creating an unbearable sense of meaninglessness.
The craving for tangible good perpetration becomes stronger than any willing attraction for high salary or post title.
Wellness And Work Autonomy: Beyond the 9-to-5 Grind
The corporate ladder and putting in long, grueling hours are starkly opposed to Gen Z’s priority: mental wellness and working freely. According to data, 45% of young professionals suffer higher stress levels at work than their older counterparts.
They vehemently reject notions of productivity being measured in terms of actual physical presence or hours logged in. They chose flexibility in working conditions, respecting individual boundaries. Rigidity in hierarchies and micro-management, plus the constant state of being “always on” that many large corporations expect from their employees-all these terms mean an unhealthy lifestyle.
Van Teutem and other graduates are taking jobs that permit them to create their schedules and make decisions about project management, with an emphasis on their own well-being, not corporate loyalty.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
