‘Taking more’ to compensate
Lazy new work trend surpassing ‘quiet quitting’
Young Aussies are doing sneaky things to get the most out of their mediocre wages during the cost of living crisis.
It is no secret that across the board workers aren’t being compensated for the soaring inflation in Australia.
Financial adviser Victoria Devine recently said on her podcast She’s On The Money: “If you’re not getting a seven per cent pay rise this year, you’re actually financially going backwards.”
Research from recruiter Robert Half has found that 58 per cent of Australian employers are solely basing remuneration decisions in 2023 on individual and company performance instead of as a form of retention.
So what are Aussies doing? Well, we’ve all heard of the terms like quiet quitting where employees start to do the bare minimum; but now Generation Z and Millennials are taking a new approach.
Instead of just quietly doing less, they are now learning how to take more.
This isn’t just scabbing toilet paper or stocking up on extra pens to help save a few bucks. Some crafty workers have kicked things up a notch.
Amy* lives in Melbourne and is a prime example of a woman who feels slighted by her stagnant income during these inflated times.
She’s past the point of even bothering to ask for a pay rise. Instead she’s taken matters into her own hands.
She’s started a side hustle – but is doing it while getting paid by her primary employer.
“I make art for my side hustle on company time and fully take advantage of flexible hours,” she said.
That means she fudges how much she is actually working.
“In my company, most people are doing 10am to 6pm, and I supposedly work 9am to 5pm, but as long as I look like I’m online at 9.55am, no one knows any different,” she said.
Plus, Amy has a foolproof way to secure some more personal time if she needs it.
“When I’m mad at work, I like to schedule half-hour ‘meetings’ before or after lunch or right before I finish up for the day,” she said.
Amy’s not alone; plenty of Aussies are finding innovative ways to get more from their work in unique ways because their wages aren’t going up.
Joan* revealed that she’s found a way to save money at work.
“I don’t contribute to farewells/baby showers/welcome back lunches – any of that – but I will turn up and always eat the food even if I don’t put in for it,” she said.
Lisa* said that while wages remain stagnant, she’s staying firmly at home.
“I insist on working from home because it saves me so much money. If I’m going into an office, it always costs extra to get there,” she said.