An Australian Gen Z woman has criticized the work culture in her country, claiming she was forced to flee to London where she has a “more diverse and dynamic environment”.
Viv Leong, 27, told Daily Mail Australia she wanted more than what Australia could offer, such as “freedom, creativity and the opportunity to do something different”.
Ms Leong is now self-employed as a social media account manager, content creator and strategist specializing in stock market literacy and luxury markets, and London offers her a “fresh start”.
“I wanted freedom, adventure and opportunities to build a career without the limitations of a traditional job,” he said.
“I’m happier because I found my rhythm, balancing work, travel and personal development.”
It comes after Generation Z was named Australia’s unhappiest workers, according to employment platform Seek’s recent inaugural Workplace Happiness Index.
Only 50 percent of Gen Zers surveyed said they were happy in their workplace, compared to 58 percent of Millennials (Generation Y), 52 percent of Generation percent of Baby Boomers.
Contributing to their unhappiness was Generation Z’s high levels of stress, as well as being unhappy with senior managers in their workplace.
Viv Leong, 27 (pictured), moved to London after feeling ‘stuck’ in her career in Australia and is now much happier after finding her ‘groove’
The 27-year-old (pictured) said Australia lacks opportunity, flexibility and diversity for Gen Z workers.
The survey also found out what makes each generation happy in the workplace, with Generation Z valuing three factors that other generations didn’t even mention: work-life balance, career progression opportunities, and their team/colleagues.
Leong said the findings are not surprising, as career progression was one of his biggest motivators for moving to London.
“Moving here gave me access to a more diverse and dynamic work environment, and the city’s global financial scene accelerated my growth,” he said.
The 27-year-old says that although both London and Australia face high cost of living challenges, they are different in terms of opportunities, which made the move “worth it”.
“London has a much bigger global market,” he said.
Ms Leong said Australia has a “lack of flexibility in work culture” and believes limited financial education in schools makes it harder for everyone to “get ahead”.
And for the 27-year-old, Australia was also lacking diversity, especially in its field of finance.
“Which can be isolating if you don’t see yourself represented in those spaces,” she said.
Since recently moving to London on a three-year youth mobility visa, Ms Leong has had opportunities to work on projects she wouldn’t have been able to do in Australia, including making some viral videos.
“I expanded my work and had the opportunity to work on social media strategies for London luxury brands,” he said.
To make his generation happier, he states that there are some measures that the country could implement.
Ms Leong has found more opportunities in her field of finance in London and has been able to expand her work (pictured in London).
“(Australia could start by) encouraging greater flexibility in the workplace and addressing the high cost of living,” he said.
‘Supporting diverse voices and offering platforms for young and underrepresented professionals would also make a difference.
“And having more accessible career paths and a culture that encourages work-life balance are essential for positive change.”
Seek’s head of customer strategy and insights, Aimee Hutton, said being happy at work is a big driver of an employee’s “overall health and wellbeing”, but it also impacts businesses.
“Those who are unhappy at work are more likely (83 percent) to think about changing jobs, compared to those who are happy at work (45 percent),” he said.
“This is testament to happiness at work being invaluable to Australian businesses and healthy productivity in the labor market.”
Leong urges other Australians, of all ages, to “make a plan” and take action if they are unhappy at work.
“If you feel like you’re stuck, don’t be afraid to take risks and explore other opportunities,” he said.
‘It’s okay to go against the grain, whether that means leaving the traditional job market or even moving abroad.
“Make a plan, educate yourself about the finances, and trust that change can lead to growth.”
