The word “entitled” gets a bad rap. Often, it’s used to condemn younger generations who some feel want more for doing less. However, workforce changes due to the pandemic brought about a different use of the word. As companies struggle with retention issues and an increasingly challenging hiring market, many have started to describe the current workforce as entitled.
A common misconception is that people just don’t want to work anymore. The reality is COVID-19 reframed the way people view work—and their lives. A large section of the workforce is departing from traditional work attitudes, embracing their individuality, and finding work they align with.
They aren’t saying, “I don’t want to work.” Rather, they’re saying, “I don’t want to work like this.” And they are, in fact, entitled to negotiate for working conditions that are better suited to them as individuals. Here’s why.
They’re overworked.
As of July 2022, there were more than 11 million jobs available in the U.S.1
They’re underpaid.
In a 2021 survey, the Truist Leadership Institute asked a Fortune 200 client to poll its employees on the top three factors that might influence them to leave. There were 363 combinations of factors selected, with pay being the top cited factor. (Separate research by the Pew Research Institute revealed that the primary reason employees quit in 2021 was inadequate compensation.2
The workplace is different.
Working from home has become a new employment perk for some roles, and few with access to it are willing to give it up. Even the hybrid model, which seems to be a good compromise for companies who want employees back in the office, may be less attractive than fully remote. For positions that cannot be done from home—such as manufacturing, medicine, and teaching—organizations have to face the challenge of offering other perks and flexibility that are fair and inclusive.
People want to work with purpose.
During the pandemic, employees reevaluated what it takes to be happy in their roles. For younger generations, it’s more than fair compensation. Research conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shows that 33% of workers left a job to change careers,3
You (sort of) promised them.
Companies with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and inclusion and belonging initiatives attract candidates and retain hires who seek values-driven employers, greater inclusivity, and better advancement opportunities. When you invite employees to bring their authentic selves to work each day and then you don’t acknowledge or accept that action, you break your commitment as their employer.