Jürgen Klopp hailed a hero by GenZ staff fed up with lengthy hours and work stress
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been hailed as a hero by GenZ workers fed up with long hours and work pressure. The German, 57, quit as Reds coach last summer after nine years in charge to take a break from the game.
And a new report says young adults are more often “feeling ill-equipped to manage everyday workloads” and see Klopp and ex-New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern as pioneers for leaving high-pressure roles. Despite being branded “snowflakes” and “workshy” by critics, experts say Gen Z bears the brunt of stressful workplaces.
Annie Auerbach, who wrote the Cigna Healthcare report, said: “You only have to look at the big resignations by Jurgen Klopp and Jacinda Arden: two well respected figures that felt empowered to step away because of overload, and from a working culture that rewards long hours, resilience and stamina by any means.
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(Image: Getty Images)
“This is giving permission to a new generation to say, ‘this is not sustainable’.” Klopp is set to become head of global soccer at Red Bull next month after a break. Ardern, 44, quit as New Zealand PM in January to spend more time with her husband Clarke and young daughter Neve.
The report says millennials are suffering burnout, lack of management support and loneliness from so much grafting. And their careers have started during the climate crisis, the Covid pandemic and wars in parts of the world.
The study said: “They’ve inherited a world experiencing more changes than we’d expect across a decade, with a new tech language, fresh expectations and diminished life rewards now part of the package.”
(Image: Wolves via Getty Images)
Wendy Sherry, from Cigna Healthcare, said: “Gen Z is rejecting the traditional notion that long hours and constant availability are prerequisites for success – and what they expect from their employers.
“This presents a significant opportunity for forward-thinking employers to attract and retain top talent.
“By creating workplaces that prioritise well-being and offer flexible, supportive environments, employers can differentiate themselves and appeal to this increasingly influential generation.”
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