I'm happy for Gen Z
We are seeing and hearing more and more of the younger gen implementing boundaries - meaning they are able to pull off some form of normal split between their home and work - and we're here for it.
I am very happy for the newest generation in hospitality.
I for one, am so pleased to see the next generation prioritise achieving some form of balance. After being made redundant out of nowhere in 2017 after a 10-year stint of complete unwavering commitment to hospitality management, I realised overnight that I wasted a lot of my personal time. I dedicated myself to work to be perceived as someone who would do anything for the cause, therefore hoping others would follow suit. ‘Work won’t love you back’ is the title of a fantastic book by Sarah Jaffe, a highly recommended read, and that very title plays in my head as I speak to people my age on the phone & hear of what they have put on hold in the quest to be deemed ‘successful’ in the industry.
I am delighted for the younger generation who have implemented boundaries meaning they are able to pull off some form of normal split between their home and work. They have got the memo; they understand that work should be a means to live and to live fully. They really can have it all, especially in this industry with its endless flexibility and huge salaries (which have come about in the last few years) and other benefits.
BUT there is still plenty of space for the person who does want to dedicate themselves to the job. I couldn’t be sure where I would sit on this scale if I were in my twenties now.
The key is for workplaces to read the room and understand who in their team wants what. There is plenty of room for everyone, the over-workers and the ‘just doing what I need to-ers’. It’s important to remember that neither is better nor more vital to the team than the other.