- Gen Zers don't stigmatize "job-hopping", according to a new study by Oliver Wyman.
- They want flexible schedules and work-life balance, and will quit if they don't get it, per the study.
Gen Zers don't share older generations' hang-ups about "job-hopping", according to a new study by management consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
They're happy to ditch unfulfilling jobs that don't offer the perks they want — and are always on the lookout for something better. Indeed, 70% of Gen Zers who say they're "loyal" to their employers are either actively or passively seeking a new job, the research found.
Oliver Wyman surveyed 10,000 Gen Zers aged 18 to 25 in the US and the UK in an attempt to analyze how "the largest and most disruptive generation ever" will affect long-established business practices.
People born between 1997 and 2012, often called Gen Z, came of age during the pandemic. Having lost much of their youth to COVID-19, they're seeking a sustainable work-life balance, and are not prepared to sacrifice leisure time to climb the corporate ladder, according to the research.
More than previous generations, they're even prepared to jump ship without a backup plan, the survey found.
Gen Z views work in "a more transactional manner" than previous generations, and has a "lengthy list of demands," per Oliver Wyman's study. In particular, they want jobs that include benefits such as comprehensive healthcare coverage and mental health support, as well as institutional transparency.
They're also increasingly demanding flexibility — and they're prepared to quit if they don't get it. Many of them started working during the pandemic, when most offices were shuttered, so have "no interest in soul-sucking commutes," respondents said.
According to Oliver Wyman's poll, 85% of Gen Zers prefer a hybrid or remote work pattern.
This means that employers seeking to recruit and retain Gen Z workers need to let employees work from home, have more time off and show that they support diversity, Oliver Wyman's research found.
Courtney Grover, 26, told Insider she "hopped from job-to-job" in her early twenties: "Job-hopping helped me really learn what I like and what I want to do with my life."
However, she acknowledges that constantly moving jobs can be draining. After trying recruitment, waitressing and policing, Grover joined a PR firm called Kindred Agency last year and says she's now more satisfied with work.
She told Insider: "I only calmed down after hitting rock bottom and speaking to my boyfriend's dad, who's part of the generation that spent their whole lives working in the same company."