Why young workers are putting in so much overtime

 BBC - April data from ADP Research Institute’s People at Work 2023 report, which surveyed 32,000 workers across 17 countries, showed people aged 18 to 24 tend to put in an extra eight hours and 30 minutes of ‘free’ work per week by starting early, staying late or working during breaks and lunchtime. That compares to seven hours and 28 minutes for 45-to-54-year-olds, and just five hours 14 minutes for those 55 and older.Gen Z workers have had to navigate a tough job environment from the start of their careers. Many started their jobs during the pandemic, and others have experienced furloughs or layoffs for the first time while still in their early 20s. Lots of these workers have also watched companies scale back on jobs, pay rises and promotions to survive the ongoing economic uncertainty.

Experts say this has left many of them insecure about both their jobs and their longer-term career prospects, feeling they need to prove their worth to an employer by piling on the extra hours. It’s an effect that’s left them toiling in overtime – and setting them up for stress and burnout down the line.