I recently read information from the Social and Business Development Research Center (SAB) that revealed a survey on the lifestyle and quality of life of salaried employees in 2018. It found that 55.2% of salaried workers in Bangkok change jobs an average of 2 times, working at each place for an average of 3 years and 6 months.

The details for the Gen Y group (ages 20 - 37) show that they work an average of 2 years and 5 months at each job, which is shorter than Gen X, who average 5 years and 5 months. The reasons for changing jobs include:

1. Desire for higher compensation and benefits.

2. Seeking employment in more stable companies. Gen Y also tends to get bored easily and wants to try new things, along with having lower patience.

This is a general overview that doesn't delve into specifics, but it reflects many aspects, especially the average job change duration for Gen Y. As someone who falls into this category, I would like to share my thoughts on the research findings from the perspective of a Gen Y individual.

The first point regarding the average job change duration of 2 years and 5 months seems just right for someone who is starting to grow. In smaller companies, we can learn the job comprehensively within a year. If the work continues to repeat without anything new or without achievements to add to our portfolio, and if the salary is likely to increase, it becomes an easy decision to explore new opportunities.

However, in medium-sized organizations with around 150 – 300 employees, there are many aspects to learn about the company culture and management systems, which may take about 3 years to study and build a knowledge base for further expertise. This decision depends on various factors, not just the duration of employment with the company. There are also considerations regarding satisfactory income and benefits, commuting, environment, cost of living, and relationships with colleagues and supervisors. Many times, some people may stay in a job because of good friends, even if they are bored, but if the friends are bad or the boss is terrible, even a good salary may not be worth it for mental health, leading to resignation. All these factors contribute to the duration of employment.

The second point is about compensation, which cannot be denied. When deciding to resign to start anew, salaries are often higher than before, depending on experience and previous achievements, which must align with the new job responsibilities. Many may be happy about this, but don't forget that change also requires adaptation to a new environment and the pressure from the expectations of bosses and companies that invest in hiring us. Research indicates that those who change jobs tend to earn more than those who stay longer in the same organization.

The final point is about stability. Not every Gen Y individual needs to leap into the unknown to open a coffee shop or start a billion-dollar startup. There are conservative Gen Y individuals as well. This is not surprising, as everyone desires a stable and secure life with a consistent income, and they don't want to risk being laid off without performance or being fired due to economic downturns in the private sector. Some Gen Y individuals are influenced by families who may have worked in government jobs, which affects their decision to pursue careers in the public sector or state enterprises, which offer stability and excellent benefits for themselves and their families, and the work is often not harder than in the private sector.

Writing this doesn't mean that private sector workers, like myself, dislike stability. Everyone appreciates it; however, we must create it ourselves and not rely too much on any system. The best stability starts with knowledge and taking action. When the salary comes in, we should learn to save and invest. Nowadays, there are many more investment tools than before. Importantly, try to find a second job that we enjoy and are interested in. If we find it, we should keep doing it. The more we become experts, the better, regardless of the current era. The idea of self-reliance remains crucial.

Regarding the secondary point that research suggests Gen Y lacks patience, it's also challenging to explain. Each Gen Y individual's circumstances are different. I am a Gen Y person who has been told by some colleagues or supervisors that I am resilient, but my resilience has its limits. If the work we do sometimes feels off, and we assess that continuing would only waste time, this mindset can lead me to decide to leave immediately.

Therefore, saying that Gen Y is less patient than previous generations may be true, but it isn't entirely accurate. We must remember that there are now more career options than before. Just think, if ten years ago I said my dream job was to be a food reviewer, my parents would have been confused and might have even slapped me to bring me back to reality.

All of this is just a personal perspective and fun commentary from a representative of Gen Y based on the research findings. Now, let's go look for a new job... just kidding!

Thank you for the information from www.workventure.com