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It seems Gen Z has been somewhat maligned. After declining from Boomers to Millennials, work ethic actually made a comeback among Gen Z 18-year-olds in the 2010s, on every measure.
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So, for example, an increasing number said they wanted to do their best in their job, “even if this means sometimes working overtime”. This peaked at 54 per cent of 18-year-olds willing to do overtime in 2020.
But then, in the midst of the pandemic, the numbers collapsed, with the 2022 report suggesting 36 per cent would do so – a record low in the survey’s near-half century.
A similar pattern is repeated across the whole survey. One question explores 18-year-olds’ intrinsic motivation to work: “If you were to get enough money to live as comfortably as you’d like for the rest of your life, would you want to work?“.
Again, the data reveals a decline in those wanting to work between Boomers and Millennials, a bounce back from Gen Z, before sharply falling in 2021 and 2022 to another all-time low.
It’s the same story for those “expecting work to be a very central part of my life” and “expecting my future work to be satisfying”. All the latest readings suggest a dramatic drop in enthusiasm and commitment to work since 2020.
But to what extent does this apply only to teenagers? On this, Britain does have useful – if depressing – data, with a sharp increase in numbers of “economically inactive” adults of all ages since the start of the pandemic.
More than nine million Britons aged 16-64 are now economically inactive – over 20 per cent of the working population. More than two-thirds of the inactive are not signed off long-term sick. So yes, the younger generation may have a (recent) work ethic problem, but so do many of the rest of us.
The fact is that the true psychological impact of lockdowns (and all the associated second order effects) is still barely understood. And while that applies to all age groups, since the young missed out so much – and are the future – it’s critical to focus on them and their recovery.
As the mother of nine (four home-schooled, three at “home university” during lockdowns) my experience isn’t quite statistically significant, but add in my children’s friends and those I meet giving talks at schools and universities, and it gives a pretty good indication. Happily, some young people have rebounded, delighted to be out and about in the world again and more appreciative of their opportunities and freedoms. They are seizing the day.
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But many others are understandably wary of the system that let them down during their crucial teenage years. They are less than enthused about the idea of throwing themselves wholeheartedly into one job, one company or one career. Or frankly, any job!
More than anything, they want to be in control of their own destiny. “Quiet quitting” – not actually quitting but doing the bare minimum, setting boundaries, not checking emails constantly, saying “no” to extra work – is not just a trend on TikTok. “Coasting” is now a fashionable lifestyle choice.
Much has been said about the diminishing chances of young people being able to buy a home, or afford childcare; I think the loss of motivation is even more fundamental. The relentless onslaught of negativity – from climate crisis to World War III – inevitably creates a sense of “what’s the point?” Many feel they have lost the chance even to dream.
That’s what we need to help them with first. And empathy is far more likely to help unblock a lack of motivation than exasperation. And we certainly shouldn’t wait for government to fix this – obviously it can’t, just as it can’t fix most things at this point.
Instead, whether we are parents or managers, we should mentor and encourage and help unmotivated young people see that even with all today’s big challenges, they can create exciting prospects for themselves. An optimistic future starts with helping young people regain their happiness and sense of purpose.
The Telegraph, London
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