The Mid-life Crisis is a phenomenon everyone will be aware of, categorised as turmoil over life choices and mortality, many people will expect to go through it within their lifetime and it is seen as a problem for older generations. So much so, that the government and DWP introduced the Mid-life MOT – an effort to help workers in their 40s and 50s prepare better for their retirement, build financial resilience, and ensure they are on track for their goals. But, it could be argued that it does not provide real support to get older people into work.

A newer experience is the Quarter-life Crisis, which has existed for some time but increased following the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the higher levels of burnout and stress it caused. It has been described as the existential dread and anguish that young people in their 20s and early 30s experience when trying to figure out who they are and their true aspirations in life. Symptoms of the Crisis are feeling unmoored and uninspired, comparing yourself to other people, and anxiety about the future.

When opening discussions around the Quarter-life Crisis, we found that typically, older generations tended to question its existence more than the younger generation. The general feeling was one of confusion, often based on looking back at their own lives and not having a similar experience. This confusion is often expressed as humour with comments along the lines of “What do they have to be worried about?”. Meanwhile, those entering or firmly in their 20s could sympathise with the phenomenon and draw from their own experiences to relate. This could potentially lead to conflict between the generations as the way this crisis has been reported may change the way younger people are perceived as it often isn’t explained.

“younger generations’ need to explore all their options to try and find who they are”

One industry that particularly suffers from burnout is the high-stress environment of healthcare. Speaking to a nursing student, she was “super uninspired during her first and second placement” and felt the feeling of needing to change careers as she felt uncertain about whether she wanted to continue. However, she did state that it also depended on how she was treated and had enjoyed aspects of her time as a nurse. Could this imply that it is less of a Crisis and more that younger generations are struggling with burnout and the fallout of the Pandemic meaning they are unable to feel comfortable in their careers? As previously mentioned, does this mean there should be extra support much like the Mid-Life MOT?

Following on from these questions, when it comes to solutions to the Quarter-life Crisis, many experts suggest parallel ideas which could be applied to other generational groups. Reinvention seems to be the key, by thinking about who you want to be and planning how to get there. Following on from this, trying to centre career opportunities around hobbies and interests can help fix the feelings of being uninspired.

This could be why younger generations are more likely to job-hop, as shown by evidence from a LinkedIn survey. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to change their jobs, with 25% and 23% respectively, saying they hope to leave their current employers within the next six months.

Furthermore, Gen Z’s job-hopping rate doubled in 2022 from 2019. The most common reasons for this need for change are finding a career that better aligns with their interests, more opportunities to gain skills and a desire to pursue a new industry. This highlights the younger generations’ need to explore all their options to try and find who they are – a cure for the crisis.

However, there is nothing firmly in place to help them.This opens up several questions:

      –  What other industries and careers lead younger generations to experience the Quarter-life Crisis?

      –  Are there any other crises that will occur in a person’s lifetime?

 

Sonya Knight | ADF Comms Team

To respond and/or for more information, please contact the ADF Comms Team at: [email protected]