Millennials are handing over up to £34 billion in unpaid overtime every year, new research has revealed. A poll of 2,000 employed adults found Millennials work almost three hours of unpaid overtime each week – the equivalent of £49 in lost wages for every full-time worker, based on the average hourly rate of £18.24.
Those aged 18 to 44 are clocking up the most extra hours, while Boomers manage just over two hours of overtime per week. The study also found that 73 per cent of workers say their jobs are harming their diet and eating habits, with many Millennials opting for fast food or takeaways twice a week because they simply don’t have time to cook.
Ambition is driving this relentless work ethic, with 63 per cent of Millennials and a staggering 76 per cent of Gen Z believing overtime is essential to get ahead. Nearly a quarter of all workers say younger generations are more ambitious than their predecessors.
George Taylor, founder at Frive, which commissioned the research, said: “Society has got the wrong end of the stick when it comes to younger generations. Millennials and Gen Z are actually working harder than anyone, but often at the expense of their health and happiness.”
For 31 per cent of Millennials they regularly miss dinner at home, 19 per cent have missed a family member’s birthday, and shockingly, five per cent admitted they weren’t present at the birth of their own child due to work commitments.
A third of Gen Z and Millennials spend three or four evenings each week still at their desks, compared to just 22 per cent of the general population.
And it turns out 30 per cent of Gen Z and 22 per cent of Millennials feel compelled to work overtime several times a week, if not every day. It’s little wonder that 60 per cent say they’d take a pay cut if it meant fewer hours at work.
Frive’s spokesperson added: “Work is important, but without balance, burnout is inevitable – something that I found out the hard way myself. And sacrificing on our nutrition and our health in the pursuit of success doesn’t help with this either.
“Ultra-processed foods play a big part in our health – adolescents in the UK now get nearly two-thirds of their calories from UPFs in foods such as meal deals or takeaways.
“These foods are convenient in the short term but are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even poor mental health. That’s why we made it our mission to make eating well easy, quick and nutritious, giving people back the time and energy they need to thrive.”
TOP 10 THINGS BRITS HAVE MISSED THANKS TO OVERTIME:
- Being home on time for dinner
- Drinks or dinner with friends
- A friend’s birthday
- A football match
- Personal health appointments
- A family member’s birthday
- A child’s sports day
- Picking the kids up from school
- A concert
- A date or night out with a partner