Why do many Gen Zers rather 'depend on their parents' than work 8 hours a day?

The 9 to 5, Monday to Saturday job is no longer the obvious or only option.

Young people in Hong Kong (China) are giving up stable but "monotonous" jobs to pursue part-time and freelance work that suits their interests. Is this a "straight-lying" trend or a unique path for Gen Z in Hong Kong, or more broadly, young people in many other places around the world?

Refuse to do “normal” repetitive work

When Alex Wong, 22, was growing up, his father spent most of his time at work instead of at home. Family vacations were limited to the summer. His father promised: After retirement, they would definitely make up for lost time.

That promise was shattered when, shortly after Wong's 18th birthday, his father suffered a spinal injury that left him paralyzed. It was a life-changing moment for Wong.

If his father worked tirelessly for a future that never came, he thought, what could stop the same from happening to him? "I spent most of my time studying before," Wong said. "Now I want to enjoy myself first and only think about the future when I turn 30."

Alex Wong with his bedridden father.

Wong’s determination to pursue this path remains unshaken, even in the face of financial hardship. His mother, the breadwinner, supports not only his father but also his six-year-old brother. They also have to hire a domestic helper from Indonesia. Wong manages by working in a warehouse a few days a month, earning just HK$310 (US$44) a day when there is work, a low wage in this expensive city. But he is in no hurry to find a more stable job.

His thinking is not unique. A related survey last year found that among young people (aged 15 to 29) who were not studying or working, 36% had no plans to work. In fact, the phenomenon known as “tang ping,” or lying flat—a protest against the culture of hard work—has become popular in China in recent years.

About 44% of high school students in a poll last year said they were “straight” or planning to do so. For some, it was a story of freedom. For others, it was simply boredom.

Ken Hui, 26, worked full-time for about six months before quitting in 2023. His administrative work involved sports and event planning, which seemed interesting at first but quickly became repetitive. “I didn’t want to go back to full-time work because I didn’t want my job to be too monotonous — doing the same thing every day (and) leaving at the same time. There was no life,” he said. He now juggles freelance work, such as photography.

Ken Hui currently lives with his parents.

Meanwhile, some Gen Zers are freelancing full-time or working multiple part-time jobs at once. They're a growing group known as "slashers" — so named because of the slashes in their job descriptions.

For example, makeup artist Joyce Fung, 25, also works part-time as a baker at a cafe. “I’m lucky because the cafe is very flexible with my hours,” she says. “They know I’m a slasher and I take freelance jobs. After I finish my makeup job or on days when I don’t have makeup jobs, I can work there.”

She has no plans to stop, perhaps ever. “I’m terrified of boredom,” Fung says. “If I had to work 9 to 5 every day and do pretty much the same thing, that’s not the lifestyle I want.”

From financial aid to the impact of COVID-19

Is Gen Z growing tired of work and what might be driving them to make such different choices?

In 2022, data showed that Hong Kong lost about 116,600 young workers (aged 18 to 39) over a two-year period. Many left the city or simply opted out of the workforce. Experts say one reason behind the shift among Gen Z is the financial security that previous generations have achieved. "Their parents are better off and don't expect the new generation to earn a lot of money to take care of them. This generation doesn't really face financial pressure," said Benson Chan, director of the Hong Kong Mental Health Association.

As a result, many young people remain financially dependent on their families, with the majority still living at home. This has given rise to a new term: “full-time kids,” which refers to young people who live with their parents and help out around the house in exchange for an allowance. In addition to their parents’ pockets, many Gen Zers are also focused on the present rather than long-term financial goals.

Wong said most of his friends have a spend-first-work-later mentality. They would rather earn enough money to buy games, upgrade their equipment, and enjoy life. “They only think about going back to work when they run out of money.”

Chan says growing up in a world of social media and instant gratification has left Gen Z feeling dissatisfied when their desires aren’t met right away. At the same time, long-term financial goals can seem out of reach. A 2024 HSBC survey found that 61% of Hong Kong Gen Zers believe home ownership is “out of reach” for them. After all, Hong Kong is one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world: The average private home costs $1.15 million. For Hui, it just doesn’t seem worth it.

“I don’t want to invest money in real estate and cars. I work to earn money to travel,” he said.

Director Chan believes this disillusionment runs deeper. “Many young people feel, ‘If I can’t live up to expectations anyway, why should I work?’” he says.

The length of the pandemic has also helped shape Gen Z's outlook. It has cut off their social interactions and deepened their sense of isolation.

Wong experienced this firsthand. While studying in mainland China as a cross-border student, he found himself trapped under strict quarantine measures. “In small neighborhoods, you’re all sealed off, with only one entry and exit point,” recalls Wong, who became “even more reclusive.” The isolation, coupled with the pressure of exams, took a toll on his mental health. At his worst, he even considered taking his own life.

Wong said he also gained weight because he went out less.

Director Chan, who works with young people with mental health issues, said many of them struggled because “they faced external pressure or lacked clear goals for the future.” He added: “So they feel indifferent about whether they (succeed) or not… They think it’s OK to lie flat at home.”

Gen Z can't take it anymore or is there more to it?

Even if they choose to work full-time, Gen Z may not find long-term employment as opportunities dwindle. Take Ada Siu, 24. A recent communications graduate, she and some of her classmates struggled for six months to find full-time jobs, each submitting more than 100 job applications to secure a few interviews.

“Before, if you submitted, say, 10 resumes, you might secure one or two interviews,” Siu says.

Hong Kong’s post-pandemic recovery has been slow. Gross domestic product growth last year — 2.5% — was at the bottom of the expected range. This year, growth is expected to be in the 2% to 3% range.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been hit hardest. High interest rates, a slumping property market and an exodus of investors have left them struggling to stay afloat. They account for more than 98% of Hong Kong’s total enterprises and employ more than 44% of the private sector workforce, but are scrambling to attract young talent.

A few months ago, Siu landed a full-time position at a small firm, where she assisted with events and public relations. But her time there didn’t last long. “By the fourth day,… I felt like (the firm) wasn’t the right fit for me,” she recalls. “I went back to looking for a job… I left after a month.”

Siu doesn't see “much growth” at the company.

According to a survey last year, two in five Gen Z and Gen Y people in Hong Kong regularly think about leaving their jobs. Many of them may be looking for more commitment. “I would feel like a frog in boiling water,” Siu said of staying at a company for a long time. “If I feel like I’ve learned enough in this position or experienced enough, then I think it’s natural to want to change.”

However, job-hopping is frowned upon in Hong Kong's traditional work culture.

“(Job hoppers)… are seen as a high cost to companies because you train them and then they leave,” notes Wendy Suen, head of talent solutions at recruitment consultancy ConnectedConsult.

To appeal to more of Hong Kong’s Gen Zers, who are increasingly concerned about burnout, anxiety and mental health, Ms Suen suggests that companies should focus on implementing wellness initiatives.

A survey released last year by mental health startup Intellect and digital wealth platform Endowus found that 31% of Hong Kong’s Gen Y and Gen Z want their workplace to offer mental health workshops. In another recent survey, global communications firm Edelman found that Hong Kong’s Gen Z have high expectations for their leaders. They want a manager who is hard-working and a friend-like figure, someone they can connect with naturally.

Young Hong Kongers say there is a growing mismatch between their needs and what the job market requires.

Young workers are also known to seek flatter hierarchies and more collaborative work environments. However, many of these preferences can be difficult for Hong Kong companies, which are still largely hierarchical, with an emphasis on rules and professionalism.

Long work hours are also a factor. According to a 2023 survey by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, more than half of workers work more than 45 hours a week; 7.3% of respondents work more than 70 hours. Meanwhile, Generation Z wants flexibility. According to global workspace provider International Working Group, nearly 8 in 10 Gen Z employees in Hong Kong prefer hybrid working, and the lack of it is the main reason 3 in 10 employees left their previous jobs.

The average Gen Z employee wants to “work smart, not hard,” Suen describes, but thrives on challenges and craves stimulation and opportunities to learn. “(Gen Z) values ​​time,” she says. “They know what they want, and they ask for it, and they don’t want to waste anyone else’s time.”

Source: CNA

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