Does Gen Z Really Lack Job Loyalty?

The Return - A podcast by Digiday - Wednesdays

The days of working for one employer for the majority of your life are long gone. Our relationship with work has slowly evolved over time. In 2022, 22% of workers aged over 20 years old spent a year or less at their jobs – the highest percentage with a tenure that short since 2006, according to data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. About 33% spent two years or less in their jobs over the same period. But Gen Z takes it a step further: they aren't even dedicated to a single employer at one time. According to research from marketing data and analytics company Kantar, 40% of Gen Zers report having two or more jobs. That’s a figure that suggests that “quiet quitting” is no more than the need to be at their next job on time. In this episode of The Return, we talk to two Gen Zers who have opposite beliefs regarding job loyalty. Kyle Lawerence stayed at his first job in the finance industry for 14 months, even though he didn't enjoy it because he was fully remote and it was hard to make connections. Julie, on the other hand, is juggling four to five jobs at any given time – her 9 to 5 and other gigs, like barista, cater waiter, and events coordinator. Rikki Goldenberg, a career and leadership coach, breaks it down for us in this episode. How does a Gen Zer make the decision to quiet quit? And how does that turn into actual quitting?