A survey by InfoQuest has found that job-hopping is prevalent among South African young people, in particular, Generation Z (Gen Z).
InfoQuest, a South African online research company, conducted a survey of 300 young people, stating 73% of those between 18 to 24 years old, held more than one job, while the 25 to 34 age group climbed to 92%.
The survey said 27% of Gen Z were first-time workers, unlike the 8% of the 25 to 34 young participants, who are rarely new to the workplace environment.
The 18 to 24 age group scooped 59% of those holding more than two jobs, meanwhile, the latter age group stood at 57%.
With technology advancing, the job spec has broadened. Young people are less loyal to a company, and seek better job opportunities compared to their counterparts (25 to 34 years old).
InfoQuest noted Gen Z are viewed as the “restless generation” due to their frequent job changes. Although job-hopping may direct towards career advancement, InfoQuest said it is concerning as it indicates a less invested workforce, potentially leading to lower productivity and loss of institutional knowledge.
An overall 57% of young people are loyal to their employer. However, a whopping 54% Gen Z recorded the least loyalty to their employer, unlike the 58% of their counter age mates, 25 to 34 years old.
Given Gauteng as the chief economic hub, 47% young people remained loyal to their jobs, compared to the 52% in KwaZulu-Natal, and 55% in the Western Cape.
“The youth in Gauteng show lower loyalty than those in other major cities. As Gauteng is South Africa’s economic hub, the abundance of job opportunities may encourage young people to switch jobs frequently in pursuit of better salaries and career advancement,” InfoQuest said.
And 56% of males are loyal to their employer versus 58% of women, suggesting that most women are breadwinners and primary carers for their children among other responsibilities. This may suggest women have limited opportunity to exercise job-hopping.
When it came to company leadership, most young people agreed that their leaders provide clear direction, make well-informed decisions, empower staff, and are honest and ethical. All these categories recorded above 80%.
Despite scoring 81%, the lowest score in the mentioned categories, the youth were concerned about their leaders caring for staff members.
Claire Heckrath, managing director of infoQuest, said employees seek committed workers to ensure company continuity, but job switching is also positive, seeing young people learn new skills to compete in the global workforce.
“Each new position exposes them to fresh technologies, software, and work styles. They learn to adapt to different company cultures, navigate new office politics, and potentially pick up new languages or industry-specific knowledge. This broadens their understanding of how businesses function and equips them with a wider range of skills to leverage in their future careers,” Heckrath said.
She said the prevalence of switching jobs among young people may encourage companies to adapt to digitisation to retain more young people in the workforce.
“This ‘restlessness’ could also be seen as an opportunity for companies to innovate and adapt their workplace practices to better engage and retain young talent,” Heckrath said.
The Star
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