I’m Gen Z and proud NOT to work – I’ve quit three jobs because bosses don’t give me gym breaks… I won’t be a victim

WORKING hard… or hardly working?

It is a question that has divided the generations, with shocking new figures showing that nearly three million people under 25 are not in employment.

Around 9.25million Brits are ‘economically inactive’ – equivalent to 21.8 per cent of the adult population, according to a report by the Office for National Statistics.

The watchdog said the inactivity had been driven by rises in the bracket aged 16-34, with recruitment experts blaming lockdown for not preparing Generation Z for the workplace.

It follows reports earlier this year that younger office staff are slacking off work at least one day a week, with mental health problems cause a productivity crisis.

The British economy loses £138billion a year due to employees feeling unable to work to their full capacity for 50 work days a year, research by Vitality suggested.

Workers under 30 lost an average of 60 productive days a year over health concerns, the report found – nearly twice as much as the 36 days lost by those over 50.

With TikTok flooded by videos of young influencers bragging about being “too young to work”, one Gen Zer tell us why they won’t be pressured into a job if it doesn’t meet their VERY strict criteria.

I quit 3 jobs… and I’d quit more

Bemi Oluiston, 27 is proud to be a demanding member of Generation Z and has quit three jobs because employers didn’t prioritise her  mental health and social life.

Bemi, from Marlow Essex, still lives at home with her parents and has been studying since 2017 – because she feels employers aren’t flexible and have unrealistic expectations.

Bemi says: “If a job starts negatively affecting my mental health, interferes with my social life or my education I will leave it.

“Work has to fit my schedule, not the other way around.

“The moment I feel stressed or anxious or find myself feeling negative I am out the door.

“My mental health, my social life and my needs have to be taken into account by bosses.

“Employers are not doing me a favour by giving me a job. Work is transactional and I expect more than just money.

I won’t work for nothing, I won’t do unpaid overtime, I won’t do work which negatively affects my life

Bemi

“I want more than a pay-cheque. I want them to acknowledge my studies, my mental health breaks and fitness classes. They have to take priority.

“Older generations are desperate to cling on to a job – they put up with anything. I refuse to be a victim like they are.

“I have been in higher education since 2017 and quit my job because my bosses refused to work around my schedule.

“If I am not happy in the workplace and bosses don’t understand my needs then I walk.

“I have left mental health management jobs and agency support worker jobs because I was adversely impacted.

“Bosses must learn that Generation Z expect their needs to be taken into consideration.

‘I have to be demanding’

“People say I’m demanding. I am not. I am creating a framework which other staffers can benefit from.

I won’t work for nothing, I won’t do unpaid overtime, I won’t do work which negatively affects my life and I want bosses to know I expect a holistic approach.

“If I have extra studies I want to do then I won’t stay at work.

“As a Gen Z member I have to be demanding. I have to expect a better standard for my job and life.

“I have a B.Arts in Integrated Health, a Foundation Degree in Health and am now completing a Masters in Adult Safeguarding and Education.

“I keep going back to higher education because the workplace is letting me down.

“It’s time we got more support for staying in education until our thirties and were funded for it.

“Then we could enter the workplace in our thirties better educated and our needs will be properly met.

My pals don’t want to work’

“Many of my friends don’t want to work because they have had the same experience I have had.

“The workplace has to change before we will consider entering it.

“Everyone of all ages will benefit from these changes, so older folks need to stop moaning.

“This isn’t being lazy. Gen Z have been told to expect and demand more.

“We’re not lazy but we prioritise ourselves over work and that means we’re healthier for it.”