A top recruiter has criticized Gen Z and millennial employees who want their ideal work environment to be “fun” and enjoyable.
Tammie Christofis Ballis, 37, gave young workers a brutal reality check about their unrealistic workplace expectations in a TikTok video.
Ms Ballis, a specialist recruiter and careers adviser at Realistic Careers, said “work is not supposed to be fun”.
“Finding a work environment is difficult…okay, you have the wrong mindset,” he said.
Ballis said a work environment is supposed to be “comfortable,” but many young job seekers have the misconception that it should go beyond that.
“That’s where a lot of people think they’re working in toxic workplaces,” he said.
‘I think (if there was) your dream job, in most cases…work is work.
‘What I would be doing and what I do is stick to something you’re good at.’
Tammie Christofis Ballis (pictured) gave young workers a brutal reality check about their unrealistic workplace expectations in a TikTok video.
The experienced recruiter urged young workers to get a job that reflects something they are good at and helps them improve their skills.
“Work is work at the end of the day, there will be good times (and) bad times,” Ms Ballis said.
Many viewers agreed with the recruiter’s opinion.
“A boring, drama-free job is a dream job,” one commented.
Another wrote: ‘I have a very boring job. It’s not stupid and it’s not much fun, but I walk in, clock in and out and don’t think about it outside of work.’
Some expressed that they loved their jobs, while others revealed that trying to find the ideal job does not always produce the desired result.
“(I) learned this the hard way… 30k down trying to do something meaningful, you quickly realize that a job is a job and the content is relatively the same,” one wrote.
Some disagreed, saying many employers offer a work environment that makes work more satisfying.
Experienced recruiter urged young workers to get a job that reflects something they are good at and helps them improve their skills (file image pictured)
‘This is such a wild boomer mentality. “I’ve had absolutely amazing managers who make work fun and enjoyable,” one wrote.
Figures from global recruitment agency Randstad revealed that 39 per cent of Australian workers would turn down a job if the position did not include certain benefits.
Nearly 80 percent of respondents said they would return to the office if employers offered them better incentives, such as free lunches and more time off.
The agency, which also conducted a survey of 35,000 workers worldwide, also found that more than half of Gen Z and millennial workers would leave their job if it prevented them from enjoying their life.
Employers across Australia are struggling to fill labor shortages as they continue to pressure employees to return to the office five days a week.
Reserve Bank figures revealed that the national unemployment rate is likely to rise from 4.1 per cent to 4.4 per cent by June 2026.