For some time I (an elder millennial) have felt increasingly bewildered by my younger colleagues’ attitudes towards work. I’ve always put everything into my job, which has often meant pulling extra unpaid hours, taking on tasks others don’t want and sometimes pushing myself to the point of exhaustion; it seemed the only way to get ahead. My younger colleagues, however make a point of never working overtime without pay, seem much less keen to climb the corporate ladder and prioritize mental health and wellbeing above salary. Part of me is resentful towards them: they’re not playing the game! Do they think the rules don’t apply to them? But another part of me wonders if they’re right, and it’s me that’s been doing it wrong all along.
Overworked of Oldham
