[Journalism Internship] MZs pass on public sector over low wages, work-life balance

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[Journalism Internship] MZs pass on public sector over low wages, work-life balance

Published: 22 Nov. 2024, 10:34

A stock image of an office worker with a resignation letter [GETTY IMAGES]

Kim Woosol, Ko Hyunsung, Lee Jiwoon, Song Jihoon

Korea’s younger generations are leaving once-coveted public jobs, driven away by low wages and pensions, excessive stress, and a disparity between younger officials’ characteristics and the rigid civil service culture.

Public officials from the so-called MZ generation — which combines Millennials born between 1981 and 1996 and generation Z born between 1997 and 2012 — have been increasingly reporting dissatisfaction with the workplace, ultimately switching jobs within five years.

According to the National Assembly Research Service, out of 64,278 former public officials who left the job within 10 years, 52,553, or 81.7 percent, quit within five years.

Low wages and slashed pension benefits were the primary reason behind the exodus of young civil servants.

A grade 9 public official, which is the lowest ranking on the pay scale, earns 1.87 million won ($1,304) monthly, according to the Ministry of Personnel Management, and a grade 7 public official receives 2.05 million won, which is below the minimum wage of 2.06 million won.

Money was the biggest reason for a career change for civil servants with less than five years on the job, representing 74.1 percent of total respondents, according to a 2022 report from the Korea Institute of Public Administration.

Though their jobs are secure, many have been finding that stagnant wages and meager retirement benefits make the civil service not financially viable.

In 2022, the average earnings of public servants were only 83.1 percent that of employees in the private sector, the lowest ever, according to the Institute of Public Administration, and is expected to come to 82.8 percent this year.

Meanwhile, what has been one of the greatest benefits for public officials, the retirement pension, has also been cut, as the recent revision in the pension system reduced the payout for officials.

This was the fourth revision in the system ever, nine years after the previous adjustment.

Overwork in public services is also driving out the MZ generation, which prioritizes work-life balance.

Source: Korea Institute of Public Administration

A survey conducted by The Federation of Korean Industries found that 36.6 percent of surveyed MZers reported that they wanted to get a job that guarantees a work-life balance. Following this, 29.6 percent favored companies with well-established salary and performance-based bonus systems, 16.3 percent chose companies that offer job security and the possibility of long-term employment, 10.4 percent preferred companies with high potential for growth for both the organization and individuals, and 3.8 percent selected companies with a horizontal culture and strong communication.

This pressure is one of the factors driving younger workers to seek alternative career paths in private companies or entrepreneurial endeavors, where adaptability, innovation and a more open, dynamic work environment align better with their values.

A high-stress environment is also making public jobs less attractive.

A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Personnel Management revealed that 62 percent of young civil servants cited an excessive workload as a major source of job dissatisfaction.

This stress often stems from the expectation that they handle a disproportionate amount of public complaints and inquiries.

Kim Tae-yoon, a public administration professor at Hanyang University, points out that it is primarily young civil servants with the least work experience who are tasked with dealing with these challenging situations, highlighting the harsh working conditions the MZ generation commonly faces.

The pressure can be so intense that it has tragically led some to take their own lives.

“Unlike private companies, those dealing with complaints respond to them all by themselves due to the working culture of seniors and colleagues refusing to lend a hand, causing them to take their own lives,” said Kim.

According to data from former Democratic Party Rep. Choi Hye-young's office last year, 49 public servants died by suicide in 2022 alone, with workplace bullying and difficulty in responding to public complaints reported as contributing factors by the victims before their deaths.

If the current trend continues, the sustainability of the public institutions may be in peril. As such, calls for a significant change to better accommodate the younger generations’ needs have been growing.

According to a recent report titled "The Impact of Organizational Culture on Civil Servants' Desire to Resign: Focusing on the Moderating Effects of Millennials and Generation Z," released by the Korea Institute of Public Administration on April 27, the study, which surveyed 6,170 civilians from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, revealed significant generational differences in organizational culture.

The findings highlight how an innovative culture reduces the desire to leave among Millennials, while a relationship-oriented culture decreases the desire to leave for generation Z.

The Korea Institute of Public Administration emphasized that "Millennials and generation Z each show unique generational behavioral characteristics."

They further explained that "it is necessary to expand generational discourse in the public sector, taking these points into consideration,” underscoring the importance of adapting to the varying wants of different generations within the civil service.

BY KIM WOOSOL, KO HYUNSUNG, LEE JIWOON, SONG JIHOON [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]