Why Every Millennial Wants to Leave His Job?

No Respect for Employees

The biggest problem of today’s job arena is that it has no respect for anyone it employs. Now I know what you’re going to say.

“The world is ruthless and highly competitive.”

“It is survival of the fittest.”

Let me tell you that you are right but you are also wrong. I mean let’s be realistic. In the 21st century, there is no dearth of talent and there are a million ways of making a living, especially for millennials and Gen Z who have devised new and innovative ways of making money like streaming, online gaming, Tiktok, and many more.

Salary is Not Enough

According to Herzberg’s dual-factor theory, when it comes to the employee-employer relationship, salary is not considered a motivator; it’s just a hygiene factor. What it means is that even though salary in itself doesn’t motivate anyone to work or rather work hard, the absence of satisfactory remuneration not only demotivates an employee but also makes him resent his workplace. Indian workplaces are in fact notorious in these terms. For the same quantity of work, Indian employees -especially in the IT industry- receive a lower salary component as compared to their counterparts in the United States, UK, and Germany. On an average Indians work longer hours without any compensation for the same. And don’t even get me started on the benefits.

You wouldn’t expect an MBA fresh out of IIM to work for 4 lakh per year just because he’s happy to have a job. It severely violates his hopes and ambitions due to which he paid a hefty amount as college fees. That’s why at the first opportunity a lowly paid individual will switch to a better paying job not because he likes the next one so much but because he feels that his current employer doesn’t know his worth.

Millennials Don’t Care About the Money

I know what you’re thinking. “First this guy says millennials are leaving because of low salary and now he says they don’t care about the money.” Let me clarify. I’m not saying they are leaving because of the low salary. I’m saying the current salary package they are getting is not at par with the industrial and global standards. Satisfactory remuneration is a demotivator when not present but not a motivator when present.

As exemplified by the Great Resignation -which is still continuing by the way- today’s generation will happily opt for a lower-paying job if it gives them the respect they deserve. Everybody is ready to work hard to earn their keep, but what is not acceptable to today’s generation is that they are insulted and disrespected in exchange for their hard work. It’s simple. They are looking for jobs where they can earn money as well as respect.

Hardworking People are Punished with More Work

You must have noticed this. If someone works hard and goes out of his way to complete a four-day task in two days, he is not applauded or celebrated. He receives not one word of appreciation. Infact he is given more work because the seniors believe he’ll be able to finish it before time. According to an HBR study, positive appreciation from a senior entity in the workplace not only motivates the employee but also increases his devotion to the job.

However, in real life, as more and more people start realizing an employee is quite hardworking and efficient, (s)he is given more work by his bosses as well as his/her colleagues so that it is completed in time. What happens as a result is that while other people in the team keep slacking and free-riding, that one employee becomes overworked and burnt out. At the end of the day (s)he is left with only two choices. Either leave the job or start working at the pace of his colleagues. In any case, the organization is at a loss. Proactive as they are, millennials choose the former most of the time.

A Plethora of Employment Opportunities

The pandemic may have closed some doors but it has opened many others. Having a degree or even a high school education is not needed to earn money given that you have a talent no one else does. India is full of YouTubers like Bhuvam Bam, Carry Minati, and Amit Bhadana who have made a fortune by making entertainment videos on YouTube. There are several other websites and apps like TikTok, Insta Reels, OnlyFans, and Twitch that millennials have exploited to earn unbelievable amounts of money just by making videos for people’s entertainment needs.

Today’s generation has proved that as long as there is a buying audience. anything can be sold in this world. I mean if people can pay hundreds of dollars to just see other people playing games, I don’t know what other proof is needed in this regard. There are also freelancing websites like Fiverr and Upwork that allow freelancers to earn money by providing their services to anybody anywhere in the world. When so much better-paying gigs are available where you are your own boss, why wouldn’t a young person quit his job or take a sabbatical just to test his luck?

Today’s Generation doesn’t like Rules

My mother always says that in her time, it was a huge achievement to have a job. Naturally, when I told her that I was putting in my papers and changing my job, she almost fell down. And honestly, I don’t blame her. For the previous generation, and the one before it, the workplace was like a temple, and resigning from a job was like committing blasphemy. While I agree with her, I also reckon that the times have changed. It is the age of information and 16-year-olds making billion-dollar companies out of thin air.

It’s quid pro quo actually. Companies nowadays care more about their bottom line than their employees. Naturally, the employees also have a devil may care attitude. Their perspective towards their job has become exactly like their perspective towards relationships: practical.