The new professional life reality is taking its toll on the global work workforce. Thus, the ongoing pandemic, combined with the economic crisis taking place around the world, is leaving people exhausted, drained, and unmotivated. A new study even revealed that 40% of the global workforce are considering leaving their employers this year.
Out of touch employers
On Monday, Microsoft published a survey revealing that 40% of workers from around the world are considering quitting their jobs. However, the same survey also found that 61% of business leaders believe that they are “thriving”. The survey participants included more than 30,000 people in 31 countries while also analyzing trillions of labor signals across Microsoft 365 and LinkedIn.
“Now more than ever, people are expecting their employers and leaders to empathize with their unique challenges,” said Microsoft’s 2021 Word Trend Index (PDF). “But business leaders may be out of touch with what their employees need.”
Alarming Numbers
The survey revealed that the business leaders with thriving status are mostly millennial or Generation X men working in the information field. On the other hand, the barely surviving or struggling survey participants are either married (54 percent), working moms(56 percent), Generation Z (60 percent), front-line workers (61 percent), new employees with less than a year experience (64 percent), or single (67 percent).
Therefore, the numbers further prove that the main fallouts of the global pandemic have fallen on the shoulders of generation Z and working mothers.
The generation Z dilemma
The pandemic hurt the world’s economy in many unimaginable ways. However, generation Z is the generation mostly suffering the consequences. Either as students or employees starting their career life, the pandemic left an irredeemable mark of a lifetime disadvantage on their livelihood.
Moreover, experts state that once people graduate during a recession, they will take a lower-paying job. Then they will embark on a trajectory of lower-paid raises and promotions than people who graduated during strong economies. Thus, a new cycle of debt and poverty is initiated.“ This is a generation that knows fear and knows mortality. That won’t leave them, even after the recovery is complete,” said Jason Dorsey, Author of Zconomy.
Working moms
As the survey further indicates, the pandemic is disproportionately hurting working mothers, as is the case during any crisis. Though both genders suffered the pandemic consequence, women in general and mothers in specific had to suffer a “no-winning” situation. Since Feb 2020, in the United States alone, almost two million women have lost their jobs.
“The infrastructure of childcare is broken,” Saujani said Tuesday at the Aspen Institute’s RE$ET Conference with Bloomberg Economics. “Nobody can afford it and it’s not seen as something that we simply need in our society — and that has to change.”
Permanent change
Furthermore, the survey concluded that almost all the pandemic’s flexible working arrangements are going to be permanent. It revealed that 73 percent of the participants want to continue with flexible remote working options, while 67 percent want to return to normal in-person jobs.
“Employees want control of where, when, and how they work, and expect businesses to provide options,” stated the report. It also specified that the decisions taking place within the next months will define corporate cultures and innovation. It will also change the cooperate ability to attract and retain top talents.
Overworked and exhausted
Employees from all over the world are experiencing fatigue as a direct result of the pandemic. The surveys show that 54 percent of employees feel “overworked” while 39 percent are experiencing exhaustion.
The increase in virtual team meetings, chats, and emails during work and post-work hours is the main factor behind this phenomenon. As quarantine continues, the line between work and personal hours blends to become one. This, in addition to the mental impacts of the endemics, is creating unhealthy work ethics.
The unique struggles of specific generations
The survey also highlighted the unique struggle people from ages 18 to 25 are currently experiencing. Almost 66 percent of employees from these age groups stated that they are barely surviving while flat out struggling to make meet-ends.
Due to the lack of financial resources, motivation, and recession, the young generations are less motivated to embark on their professional careers.
References:
Al Jazeera. (2021a, February 24). Calls to help US women falling out of labour force grow louder. Coronavirus Pandemic News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/2/24/calls-to-help-us-women-falling-out-of-labour-force-grow-louderAl Jazeera. (2021b, March 22). Are you exhausted? Want to quit your job? You’re so not alone. Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/3/22/thinking-of-quitting-your-job-youre-so-not-aloneDavies, A. (2020, November 10). Will Gen Z ever recover from the COVID-19 recession? Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/11/10/will-gen-z-ever-recover-from-the-coronavirus-recessionForde, K. (2021, March 8). ‘No winning’: US working mothers on losing ground to COVID. Coronavirus Pandemic News | Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/3/8/no-winning-us-working-mothers-on-losing-ground-to-covidTeam, W. W. (2021, March 22). 40% of global workers considering leaving their employers this year, finds survey. WION. https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/40-of-global-workers-considering-leaving-their-employers-this-year-finds-survey-372484
