Gen Z labelled 'the worst' when it comes to addictive habit at work
Generational battles know no bounds anymore, with seemingly everything categorised into how old we are.
Top of the list in recent months has been socks. Yes, bloody socks.
The Gen Z mob, who are those considered to be born between 1997 and 2012, are convinced that the kind of sock we wear tells us everything we need to know about the era that we were brought up in.
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Ankle socks? Millennial until the day you die, whether you embrace that or not. Crew? It's Gen Z for you.
The debate has also turned on to 'money rules' that millennials live by. And don't even get us started on whether you remember what London's O2 Arena was before it held massive concerts. The Millenium Dome will live long in some of our memories.
Well, the generational divide has now officially hit the workplace, specifically on how much time people are slacking off to fix a very unhealthy habit.
According to a new study by online retailer Haypp, Gen Z are the absolute worst when it comes to doing this - and doing it on company time.
We're at liberty to do whatever we like on our lunch breaks but outside of that, you're paid to be at your desk, whether a physical or metaphorical one.
But according to the crunched numbers, Gen Z are the ones most likely to slack on the job by taking extra cigarette or vaping breaks away from their desk.
And this time off quickly adds up, with the average Gen Z smoker blagging the equivalent of six days annual leave in ciggie breaks each year.
The study looked at a potential correlation between workplace stress and smoking. It found that up to 46 percent of Gen Z workers admitted that they will spend 20 minutes each work day smoking instead of working, outside of break hours.
The worst offenders for slacking on the job and going for a crafty cigarette were Gen Z, who were closely followed by Boomers, Gen X and lastly Millennials.
And while millennials were the least likely to slack during work time for a smoke break, the research also found that they are in fact the most stressed out generation with two thirds (66 percent) saying that workplace pressure increases their cigarette intake, although not during work hours.
The study looked into how workplace stress can impact smokers’ habits and found that five of the top ten causes of smoking are work related, including:
- 25% smoking to release tension at work
- 24% smoking after a hard day at work
- 22% smoke to go on a break from work
- 21% smoking when they’re under pressure
- 21% smoke more often when they are dealing with an increased workload
Markus Lindblad, from Haypp, said: “The UK government has made great strides in reducing smoking rates but it’s clear that more can be done.
"The research clearly shows a connection between workplace stress and smoking, so employers now have a role to play when it comes to reducing smoking rates.
"As well as working on employee stress levels, this could also be by including encouraging smoke-free alternatives such as vapes or nicotine pouches which are proven to be much less harmful than cigarettes."
Tom Earnshaw