, Columnist
Gen Z Is Taking ‘Micro-Retirement.’ Don’t Laugh
Young workers have rebranded sabbaticals — and they may be onto something.
Out of office.
Photographer: Thierry Zoccolan/AFP
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Gen Z has been in the workforce just long enough to want out. Well, at least temporarily. The concept of a micro-retirement has started to trend (again) on social media, which makes it seem as if an entire generation of twenty-somethings wants to take an adult gap year.
Is this a rebranding of the more well-known sabbatical? Yes, with a couple of noteworthy caveats: Micro-retirement isn’t employer-granted — say goodbye to pay while you’re away or a guaranteed job upon return — and it’s meant to be more of a routine lifestyle choice to combat burnout and pursue personal passions.