This week I came across a tweet from @dxvsxx that put some things I have been thinking into perspective. It read, “How have so many generations managed to work til retirement age?! I’m 25 and I’m tired.” I immediately showed it to my husband, whose daily complaint has been his inability to understand some new work attitudes he comes in contact with within his business.

Lamenting that when you give out a task there’s no absolute ownership or responsibility by the individual to manage it from beginning to end. Instead, they see themselves as observers reporting what has or has been not happening. A close millennial friend of mine who runs his own company describes the attitude as ”box and promise”, which is when you issue a task and the person does it in a rushed or scattered way with no real effort.

As a Gen-Xer, I must constantly remind my other half that he is from a different generation. “Richard, you’re a Boomer; millennials and Gen Z’s don’t see things the same way, and you need to adapt or at least try to understand things from their perspective?” Describing his venting as frustration would be a gross understatement. It’s more like dazed confusion on steroids. “Lisa, I just don’t understand how they think.” He finally had an ”aha” moment when he read the tweet.

The truth is that to succeed in the global marketplace industries must take quantum leaps to not only survive but prevail amidst intense competition, especially with rapid advances in technology. Therefore, how we engage our young people towards being hopeful about their next career steps will be crucial if we are to compete globally to grow our economy. However, harnessing hope and purpose from today’s young university graduate trying to make a life on a starting salary of $60,000 per month seems slim.

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Z’s were born between 1997 and 2012. Young people from that generation who are fortunate to have a job tell me that you have to be more intelligent and agile, working harder and longer than your parents ever did at their age. Yet, unlike their parents, who could purchase a home in their 20s, they must still live at home as they can’t afford rent, let alone buy a one-bedroom apartment for $20 million.

This is not only applicable in Jamaica. According to the Pew Research Center, “One in four young adults in the US lived with their parents or another older family member in 2021, the largest share in more than 50 years. The trend is higher between ages 25 to 34 without college degrees, with almost one in three living in multigenerational households in 2020.”

The young people who were surveyed cited economic stress from student loans, inability to afford housing costs, financial anxiety, and declining purchasing power as their main reasons for having to live with their relatives.

Renew our approaches

Some 82 per cent of employed Gen Z employees want mental health days and greater business commitment to making a positive societal impact. Furthermore, beyond wanting these days, more than half want to receive mental health training and list “burnout/lack of work-life balance” as their number two reason for wanting to quit their job. “Unsatisfactory salary” was number one. (Forbes, May 9, 2022)

On the other hand, concerning mental health benefits in the workplace, Boomers and Gen Xers say that their mental health is their business and not their employer’s business. (Micah Remley, May 2022)

The thread of this young lady’s tweet gave me further insights, especially when she said, “The fatigue and dissatisfaction I a feel when I’m not aligned to my purpose is so wild.”

Between November 2021 and January 2022 Deloitte surveyed 14,808 Gen Z workers and 8,412 millennials from 46 countries across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. They found the following:

• 72 per cent of Gen Zs and 77 per cents of millennials agree that the gap between the richest and poorest people in their country is widening;

• 46 per cent of Gen Zs and 47 per cent of millennials live paycheque to paycheque and worry they won’t be able to cover expenses;

• 44 per cemt of Gen Zs and 43 per cent of millennials say many people have recently left their organisation due to workload pressure;

• 43 per cent of Gen Zs and 33 per cent of millennials have a second part- or full-time paying job in addition to their primary job;

• 39 per cent of Gen Z employees want to start a family and 49 per cent want to buy a home in the next five years;

• 29 per cent of Gen Zs and 36 per cent of millennials list the overall cost of living as their primary concern; and

• 26 per cent of Gen Zs and 31 per cent of millennials worry they may not be able to retire comfortably.

Consequently, how will a corporation attract and retain the interest of these generations for the long haul? First, they must create a purpose they can believe in. Second, invest in their talents. And, third, inspire and continue their learning.

Aligning with worker values is critical if employers hope to appeal to and keep young talent. Currently, employers are being forced by Gen Z and millennial employees to tackle global issues such as climate change, women’s rights, and race and gender equality when it comes to some efforts they can get directly involved in.

Nearly two in five of those surveyed by Deloitte said they turned down a job or assignment because it did not line up with their values. On the other hand, “Those who are satisfied with their employers’ societal and environmental impact, and corporate efforts to create a diverse and inclusive culture, are more likely to want to stay with their employer for more than five years.”

On top of creating a purpose for them, investing in their knowledge base and continuously upskilling their qualifications are also essential for keeping them interested. Paying for them to participate in short online courses at notable overseas universities is one way to start. In addition, it adds certified accreditation to their resume and LinkedIn and enhances critical, cutting-edge skills within the organisation.

However, it would be foolhardy to believe that these renaissance attitudes of these generations towards traditional modes only exist in the workspace. They also exist nationally. Our young people are tired of our ‘box and promise’ political systems. They want disciplined leaders who build a disciplined country to give them peace of mind, physical safety, and jobs for economic acceleration to plan their long-term future. They can’t now, so they are leaving for better opportunities elsewhere.

It is time we urgently reassess our approaches across the board in the church, Government, and the private sector, recognising that the ‘one size fits all’ is outdated and misaligned with the current generation’s expectations for a life worth living. It’s time for ‘Regeneration Jamaica’.

Lisa Hanna is Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, People’s National Party spokesperson on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and a former Cabinet member.