Employers throughout the county have given mixed reviews on working with Generation Z (Gen Z) employees, those of the ages of 18-27.
Online job connector Sidehustles conducted a new study of 1,000 full-time workers about their workplace habits and the “office workhorse” phenomenon sweeping today’s labor market and America’s office culture and how Gen Z workers are dealing with burnout, work-life balance, and feeling undervalued.
Key takeaways:
61% of employees consider themselves “office workhorses”, reliable employees who take on more than their share of tasks, often finding themselves managing extra duties that benefit their teams but don’t always result in promotions or raises. These individuals are known for their hard work and often assume responsibilities that might otherwise fall to their supervisors or peers.
The study found 64% of Gen X workers were most likely to identify as workhorses and Gen Z (52%) the least likely.
55% of workhorses feel their contributions are undervalued. 1 in 8 workhorses haven’t received a raise in the past 3 years.
55% of workhorses feel stuck in their current positions, and 51% feel burnt out.
31% of workhorses are considering leaving their job, with 24% exploring other roles and 7% planning to transition to freelancing due to feeling undervalued.
Over half of Gen Z workers avoid the “office workhorse” label, prioritizing their self-worth.
By industry, marketing professionals (75%) are the most likely to see themselves as workhorses, followed by employees in:
Real estate: 65%
Healthcare: 65%
Retail: 63%
Information technology: 61%
Hospitality: 56%
Education: 50%
Overall, workhorses are four times more likely than non-workhorses to have six or more additional responsibilities outside their defined job. However, taking on more work doesn’t always come with recognition.
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