26-Year-Old In Her First 9-To-5 Job Asks How People ‘Cope’ With Office Culture — ‘It Just Feels Like A Waste Of My Time’
Like many other Gen Zers, she's fed up with corporate culture.
Raushan_films | Shutterstock Many Gen Zers have expressed their disapproval of aspects of traditional corporate culture, from the 9-to-5 workday to what's considered work-appropriate attire.
One woman on the tail end of Gen Z admitted that she too is having a hard time adjusting to her "first 40-hour 'normal' full-time job." She questioned how others deal with the stress and exhaustion that come with being in the workforce.
The 26-year-old in her first 9-to-5 job asked how people 'cope' with office culture.
"I just don't understand the whole office culture of sitting here for 8 hours a day when there's zero work to be done," she began in her Reddit post. "It just feels like a waste of my time to just sit here and give face."
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While she said that some days are busier than others, more often than not, she spends her days sitting at her desk and twiddling her thumbs until it's time for her to clock out.
"Often I end up sitting on my computer playing video games or watching YouTube and it's maddening," she admitted.
The woman said she struggles with the monotony of her workday.
She questioned how others cope with the environment of office culture, claiming that it's been months of the same thing and it's becoming exhausting. "I don't know how to keep up with it in a way that doesn't burn me out," she added.
Although the people in her office are "nice and friendly," she struggles to feel motivated to participate in office culture or "invest" in the people around her.
"There is also such an age disparity between my co-workers that it's not like I'm hanging out with these people outside of work or making any real lasting bonds with them that will be useful for my 'real' life so I'm kind of at a loss," she concluded.
"It's weird and it's kind of lonely."
This sentiment is shared by many Gen Zers in the workforce.
Data from LinkedIn, which was shared with BBC Worklife, showed that young workers don't feel equipped for the workplace.
They found that 18-to-25-year-olds are the least confident out of all generations in their current job or role. Only 43% of Gen Z feel extremely confident and feel perfectly capable in every aspect of their role, compared to 59% of millennials, Gen X, and boomers.
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Aside from feeling unready, many Gen Zers, like this Redditor, are unhappy at work because the 9-to-5 no longer provides the same benefits and financial stability that it did for past generations.
Many won't ever be able to afford a home from the salary they make at their office job, making them feel unmotivated and disheartened.
It can be easy to fall into that nihilist mindset that the world is falling apart and work is pointless.
That's why people are encouraged to use their PTO, take some days away from the office, and understand that working doesn't have to take up every crevice of your brain.
Taking care of yourself should always be the top priority, especially if you want to avoid burnout.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.