A study published by King’s College London this week says the UK places less importance on work than any of the 24 countries included in the research. What to think? My first reaction is a rare moment of patriotic pride: against all odds, dour old Britain has glimpsed the emptiness of modern capitalism and achieved a higher plane of consciousness than our peers around the world.
But on further reflection, I’m not sure that the study – which spans the US, with a GDP of $23trn, to Morocco, at $143bn – does paint such a flattering picture of Britain. While its findings reflect the nation as a whole, they show a stark generational divide, with millennials significantly more likely than older generations to welcome a decline in the importance of work, and significantly less likely to say that work should always come first. On the one hand, this indicates a healthier approach to work-life balance, which is no bad thing. But doesn’t it also suggest that millennials have been deprived of the opportunity to find purpose, enjoyment and security in the workplace?
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