For years, the definition of a “good job” seemed fairly straightforward: decent pay, good benefits, and a company that would look good on your résumé.
For many young Filipino workers, that list is getting longer.
A recent JobStreet by SEEK survey found that nearly four in 10 Filipino Gen Z workers often dread going to work. The generation also recorded the lowest workplace happiness score among the age groups surveyed, at 76%, compared with 77% for millennials and 78% for Gen X.
The findings point to a workplace shift that businesses may not be able to ignore.
Salary Is Not the Whole Story
Compensation still matters, particularly for young professionals starting their careers. But Gen Z workers are also looking for something beyond a monthly payslip.
According to the survey, 76% expressed positive sentiments about finding purpose in their work. Satisfaction with work-from-home arrangements ranked among the factors linked to their workplace happiness, at 73%.
In other words, where they work and why they work may matter almost as much as what they earn.
For a generation that entered adulthood during a period of rapid technological and social change, flexibility has also become less of a perk and more of an expectation.
The Workplace Has Become Part of the Lifestyle
The traditional separation between “work life” and “personal life” is becoming harder to maintain.
Young employees are thinking about how their jobs affect their time, energy, relationships, and overall quality of life. A long commute, rigid schedule, or consistently heavy workload can influence whether someone sees a job as sustainable—even when the salary is attractive.
That does not mean Gen Z workers are unwilling to work hard. Rather, many are asking whether the effort they put in is leading somewhere meaningful.
What Employers Can Learn From It
For businesses, the challenge is not simply to make work fun.
It is about building workplaces where employees understand what they are working toward, have opportunities to grow, and feel that their contributions matter.
Clear expectations, supportive managers, flexibility where possible, and realistic workloads can all influence how employees experience their jobs.
The same JobStreet survey found that workplace happiness varies across generations, suggesting that companies may need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to employee engagement.
For Filipino Gen Z workers, a good career may no longer be defined by the biggest salary or fanciest office.
It may simply be a job that allows them to earn, grow, and still have a life outside of work.