The majority (83 per cent) of generation Z frontline workers say they feel burned out, compared to 75 per cent of all frontline employees, according to a new survey by UKG Inc.
The global survey, which polled nearly 13,000 workers, found 36 per cent of gen Z workers said they’d quit their job because it negatively affects their physical and/or mental well-being. Among gen Z respondents, more than half (58 per cent) said they’d rather have more vacation time than receive a pay increase and 29 per cent would forgo a promotion for an extra week of paid time off each year.
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Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of gen Z respondents said interactions with people at work have worsened their mental health, compared to 62 per cent of all frontline employees, and 71 per cent of gen Z workers said they may quit because of negative interactions with their colleagues or customers. Additionally, 61 per cent of gen-Zers said they aren’t satisfied with their overall employee experience, versus 55 per cent across all generations.
In organizations where frontline and corporate employees co-exist, 49 per cent all frontline employees said there are two separate cultures — one for the frontline and one for everyone else — and 19 per cent said they’re never recognized by their manager.
Pay/compensation (71 per cent) was cited as the most important factor that frontline employees consider when choosing an employer, followed by work-life balance/flexibility and work schedules (55 per cent each) and 27 per cent said they’d resign due to a lack of workplace flexibility.
More than half (54 per cent) of respondents noted they work for an employer offering flexible hours/self-scheduling. Other flexible scheduling practices included shift trading with co-workers (41 per cent), part-time work with no loss of benefits (28 per cent) and compressed workweeks (27 per cent). However, 14 per cent of frontline leaders said their organization doesn’t offer any of these flexible work arrangements.
Notably, 81 per cent of respondents said they feel psychologically safe at work, 67 per cent said they’re treated with respect at work and 20 per cent reported being with the same employer for more than 10 years.
“Contrary to popular opinion, our study finds that the frontline wants to work — they just want more choice into when and how much,” said Teresa Smith, director of human capital management strategic advisory at UKG, in a press release. “Flexible work, including thinking about [overtime] as a strategic tool to help organizations meet shifting business needs and help their employees at the same time, is key to attracting and retaining workers, regardless of age, across all industries.”
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