8 Reasons Gen Z Gets Fired Often and Struggling to Keep a Job

While the youngest members of Gen Z are in high school, older generations are graduating from college and finding their first job—or not finding a job at all, as Gen Z is often laid off and has trouble keeping a job.

According to Data provided by Intelligent.com60% of employers have laid off Generation Z employees in the past year. Generation Z is often criticized as a generation that lacks motivation. However, what is perceived as a lack of ambition may actually be a self-protective measure.

Generation Z is hesitant to commit to a corporate system that offers them very little security. The main reasons why Gen Z gets laid off and struggles to keep their jobs has less to do with their work ethic and more to do with how they feel about company culture.

Here are 8 reasons why Gen Z is often laid off and has a hard time keeping a job.

1. Economic uncertainty

young woman paying bills Pormez | Shutterstock

Generation Z grew up in an era of economic and political uncertainty. How This was reported by the Pew Research Center.Generation Z was about to make its way into a strong economy with record low unemployment, and then the whole world changed. The onset of a global pandemic has completely changed the social, political and economic landscape, and Generation Z has become a generation on the brink of great uncertainty.

Generation Z has been hit hard by the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. 2020 survey by Pew Research Center found that half of the oldest Gen Zers, who were 18 to 23 years old, reported that they or someone in their household had lost a job or had their pay cut due to Covid-19.

Four years later, Generation Z is still feeling the effects of this acute economic uncertainty. The job market has changed quickly, and Generation Z is doing everything it can to keep up. Promises of job security are not being delivered the way they were for past generations, especially boomers. many of whom have postponed retirementleaving little room for younger generations to climb the corporate ladder.

Bye Boomers complain that Gen Z doesn’t want to workThe economic reality they inherited has left them at a disadvantage, which is one of the reasons why Generation Z often quits and struggles to hold down a job.

2. High expectations of flexibility at work

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Unlike millennials before them, who celebrated hustle culture only to be met with deep regret and a desire to climb back down the corporate ladder, Gen Z places a huge emphasis on work flexibility. They want real work-life balance, not empty promises. They are looking for real balanceand they are not willing to settle for less than they deserve.

Along with expectations of flexible schedules and remote work arrangements, they strive to live lives that don’t prioritize work. They don’t base their identity or self-worth on work, which is a healthy way of thinking. More than previous generations, Generation Z prioritizes seeking personal fulfillment outside of work.

How Morgan Sanner, a Gen Z career expert, explained:“Searching for a job doesn’t have to be goal-oriented. When you’re looking for a job, you shouldn’t be trying to find your identity either.” Their desire for flexibility often means Gen Z struggles to hold down a job, but this doesn’t reflect in their work ethic. Rather, it shows that young people’s priorities are changing and companies must adapt accordingly.

3. Search for a more dynamic environment than what is offered.

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Another reason Gen Z gets laid off and struggles to keep their jobs is because they are looking for a more dynamic work environment than what is offered to them. Along with their desire to work remotely, Gen Z wants to face challenges that most workplaces can’t or won’t provide.

A A 2022 study from the journal Current Psychology was analyzed differences in values and attitudes between Generation X and Generation Z and found that Generation X exhibited higher levels of resilience and Generation Z had higher levels of openness to experience and desire for self-improvement. The study also found that Gen Z places a high value on novelty and change rather than maintaining the status quo.

These qualities don’t necessarily fit well into traditional company cultures, meaning Gen Z has a hard time finding a job that matches what they want. The working world has not caught up with Generation Z, who why they are often fired and find it difficult to keep their jobs.

4. Desire work that aligns with their values.

colleagues at a meeting Jacob Lund | Shutterstock

Generation Z wants a job that aligns with their values, which means they won’t hesitate to leave a job that doesn’t bring them satisfaction. According to Deloitte Study on Generation Z and Millennials in 202486% of Gen Z say having a sense of purpose is important to their well-being and job satisfaction. The study notes that Generation Z is “increasingly willing” to reject employers whose values do not align with their own views.

Additionally, 75% of Gen Z reported that they consider a company’s social impact and level of community involvement when searching for a job. Environmental issues are particularly high on the list of things Generation Z considers when searching for a job. Meanwhile, 62% of Gen Zers said they felt anxious or anxious about climate change during the month of the survey. Two in 10 Gen Zers have changed jobs or industries to find work that aligns with their environmental values.

It may seem like Gen Z often gets fired or struggles to keep a job because they don’t care about their jobs, but in reality they care deeply, they just want their activities to align with their political and social priorities.

5. Challenging traditional hierarchies

frustrated woman working TORVAISTUDIO | Shutterstock

Generation Z is often laid off and has difficulty keeping a job because they have difficulty fitting into workplaces with traditional hierarchies. They tend to be disappointed with the way companies operate. Generation Z doesn’t connect their identity to their work, which means they typically don’t see eye-to-eye with older colleagues who want access to workplace status symbols.

Part of the desire for flexibility at work translates into a desire to move away from rigid decision-making processes and formal displays of professionalism towards a more relaxed atmosphere. This inconsistency in Gen Z’s approach to work compared to older generations manifests itself in different ways; For example, Generation Z doesn’t mind being 10 minutes late to work.while boomers actually do this.

Generation Z’s attitude to work breaks traditional stereotypes. While implementing change is not always a smooth process, it is necessary.

6. Prioritize mental health over work

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Gen Z’s mental health struggles are well documented. How Comparative analysis for 2022 reportedGeneration Z had higher rates of depression and anxiety than other generations, even before the pandemic. Their need for emotional support exceeds what work usually provides.

Generation Z prioritizes their mental health more than any other generation, which is why they often leave stressful or toxic jobs. Their focus on mental health means they will leave jobs that do not offer them adequate support.

While many companies pay lip service to the mental health needs of their employees, when it comes down to it, they still put profits before people. Generation Z is often laid off and has a hard time keeping a job because they know their mental health is more important than anything else.

7. Having a cultural worldview that conflicts with outdated norms in the workplace.

woman at work in the office Raushan_films | Shutterstock

Generation Z’s worldview and cultural perspective are often at odds with outdated workplace policies. As the Pew Research Center noted in its 2020 article, “On the Edge of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future,” Generation Z is on the “leading edge” of America’s changing racial and ethnic composition: 52% of Gen Z are non-Hispanic white. and one in four is Hispanic; 14% of Gen Z are Black, 6% are Asian, and 5% are from another race, two or more races.

As of 2020, Generation Z is more likely to go to college and have a college-educated parent than Generation X or Millennials at the same point in their lives. Having a high level of education leads to greater open-mindedness, which is certainly what Generation Z is all about.

Generation Z places a high value on progressive values and policies that are truly inclusive. They will not stay in workplaces that do not prioritize equality and diversitytherefore, they are often fired from their jobs or fired voluntarily.

8. Low tolerance for unfair treatment

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Along with a belief in true inclusion, diversity and equality, Gen Zers have a low threshold for unfair treatment, which is why they are often fired and struggle to keep their jobs. They know their worth. They know there is no point in staying with a company that doesn’t value them.

While past generations may have remained silent, Generation Z is likely to raise your voice and demand respect. Whether it’s fighting discrimination or fighting unfair wage and labor policies, Gen Z won’t stay in a place that doesn’t value them, so they often have a hard time keeping jobs.

Alexandra Blogger is a news and entertainment writer for YourTango. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis, and everything related to the entertainment industry.