Data has revealed that burnout is rife across charity sector staff demographics, with younger workers more likely to consider sacrificing personal values to get higher pay amid economic pressures.
The latest Expectations and Values at Work survey by CharityJob outlines that gen Z staff prioritise job security and positive social impact, but due to factors such as the cost-of-living crisis, would work in roles counter to their personal values.
This is despite gen Z workers being most likely to see positive social impact through their work as “extremely important”, at 43%, compared to 32% overall.
A “respectful and inclusive workplace” was rated as a top priority by most of the 2,850 respondents (72%), the bulk of whom were either millennial or gen x, while “industry stability” scored lowest at 9%.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) was seen as important to 85% of gen Z respondents compared to 59% of baby boomers.
Burnout pressures hit millennials hardest
Millennials reported the highest levels of burnout, the findings show, with 41% saying they feel burnt out “most often” or “always”, followed by 37% of gen Z respondents.
The data shows, however, that burnout is high across the board.
“Burnout was widespread with 78% saying they felt emotionally exhausted or burnt out at work at least sometimes,” the report says.
Most gen X respondents said they felt capable of setting boundaries at work, with 56% comfortable doing so, compared to 32% of gen Z respondents.
Some 87% of respondents overall said they would consider accepting a lower-paid job if it offered better work-life balance and flexibility.
However, just 62% of gen X respondents say “yes” to the same question, the lowest of any demographic.
Employer support for mental health was most important among gen Z respondents (77%), ahead of millennials (71%) and gen X (64%).
Gen Z respondents would ‘trade values’ for pay rise
Despite gen Z respondents prioritising positive social impact above other demographics, 32% said they would consider working somewhere that does not align with their personal values if it offered pay and benefits above industry standards.
Millennials were the second-most likely to trade their personal values for a pay rise, with just over a quarter at 26% prepared to do so.
Conversely, 80% of gen X respondents said they would not do so.
“This is surprising,” the report states. “One possible explanation is the current economic pressures on younger workers.
“The cost-of-living crisis, increasing rent and tough job market may mean gen Z feel they have less freedom to prioritise values when financial security is at stake, even though their values remain important to them.”
