Thousands of job seekers crowd the Labor Day Job Fair spearheaded by the Quezon City local government in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at the MICE Convention Center in Quezon City on May 1, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Every morning at 8 a.m., Mariz Lorenne Tade would clock in through the biometrics, fire up her desktop, and get started on her admin work, always accompanied by her signature line: “Log in!”
But that was three years ago. Since then, she has given up the salary, the office, and the predictable career path. Today, her mornings begin differently: she makes coffee for herself and tends to her family at peace.
“It takes a lot of time for me to realize na ito na pala ang buhay ko ngayon, ang daming sacrifices and adjustments, but I believe it’s all worth it,” she says.
Mariz’s decision is part of a larger conversation on why some of the Gen Z workers are leaving corporate employment and rejecting the hustle culture, seeking more meaningful work and a lifestyle they consider more sustainable.
After two years of working as an admin from Monday to Saturday, the demanding routine eventually took its toll on Mariz. The long travel time each day left her exhausted, making her realize that it’s no longer working for her.
In the Philippines, Jobstreet by SEEK's Workplace Happiness Index for 2025 found that Gen Z workers reported the lowest workplace happiness among the generations surveyed, at 76 percent, while 39 percent said they often dreaded going to work.
The report also found that Filipino Gen Z workers experienced higher levels of stress and emotional exhaustion than older generations. These findings suggest that entering the workforce can be a particularly difficult period for young employees as they attempt to balance professional demands with their personal well-being.
For Mariz, working in a corporate world will teach you to handle difficult situations and act professionally with clients. This is also a stepping stone if you plan to move internationally and build your career.
FAMILY OVER CAREER
She told herself that the decision to leave might be temporary at first, but after settling down with her family, she realized that this is her dream: to have more time with them, even if it meant sacrificing her salary at her previous job and her entire career. She saw it as a reward to be present with her family, and that is why, for her, it is worth it to quit the hustle and choose the kind of lifestyle she has now.
“When I became a full-time mom, ang daming pressure sa life kasi hindi naman ito iyong nakasanayan mong lifestyle. Ang daming what ifs pero natutunan kong slowly tanggapin lahat, that this is my new life, this is my choice so dapat panindigan ko ito, piliin sa araw-araw. Alam kong hindi magiging madali pero kakayanin.” she added.
Her advice to other Gen Z is to choose a life where they can be happy, content, and peaceful.
“Maraming pwedeng i-offer ang mundo sa yo, pero hindi lahat ‘yon ay mafe-feel mong masaya ka, peaceful ka, at kontento ka. That’s why magdesisyon ka kung anong path ba ang tatahakin mo,” she says.
She shared that, as a Gen Z, you can prioritize your mental health over everything; you can choose the life you want without allowing judgment from other people.
As Mariz’s journey begins to take a different turn, another story unfolds from Sheela Datuin, who has a similar desire to enter into a simpler life.
“Kapag tumitingin ka sa fast-paced environment ng Metro, talagang mapapagod ka e. Kumbaga, kung sasali ka sa trend (sa siyudad), cope ka lang nang cope sa kung anong meron. Sa simpler life, mas may peace ka. Mas may time ka to evaluate iyong sarili mo kung ano ba talagang gusto mong gawin. Focusing on yourself. Unlike sa corporate job na onsite, ang dami mo pang kailangang i-build na relationship sa tao at sa manager mo,” she says.
Even before earning her degree, and for four years, Sheela used to work shifting schedules from Monday to Friday in an international health company. For her, working in a corporate hustle is experiencing the environment of the industry and gaining more insight into the workforce. She also shared the advantages and benefits she gained, which are the fixed salary rate, health maintenance organization (HMO), incentives, and allowances.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
However, there are also a lot of downsides to working in a corporate world, which are the competitive workforce and the different dynamics of people around her. Alongside this is the cost of transportation and the hassle it brings every day.
Workplace stress among Gen Z can stem from several interconnected pressures. A 2025 synthesized study by Pathak and Bhayani identified poor work-life balance, financial strain, unreasonable performance expectations, lack of autonomy, and toxic workplace environments as recurring workplace stressors affecting Gen Z.
“Hindi minsan nakakapagod ang workload pero yung transportation talaga, traffic, pakikipag-agawan o siksikan mo sa MRT, talagang makikipagtulakan ka talaga kapag rush hour,” she says.
For Sheela, working onsite doesn’t really work for her. She explains the difficulty of managing time for herself and her family living in the province.
“Kung magse-settle ka rito sa Metro, building for your own ka lang talaga. Pero kung mayroon kang time sa sarili mo, lalo na sa province, more on time ka sa family. Kasi hindi yun yung na-build ng previous generation, talagang work lang sila nang work pero yung time sa family nila ay kulang.” she added.
When asked what influenced her to consider leaving the corporate hustle, Sheela shared that her peers and friends, who are also Gen Z, played a significant role. Having experienced the same corporate routine, they eventually chose to work in the province or from home, where they found a more stable and peaceful way of life.
Seeing how they had built a life and took the risk to climb down the corporate ladder inspired Sheela to consider making the same change. Their experiences showed her that there was another way to work, one that could offer both stability and peace without the daily demands of the corporate grind.
SENSE OF PURPOSE, REMOTE WORK
For Filipino Gen Z workers, workplace happiness is not determined solely by salary or employment itself. Jobstreet by SEEK reported that purpose was the strongest workplace-happiness factor among Filipino Gen Z respondents, with 76 percent satisfied with the meaning they found in their work.
The report also found that 73 percent were satisfied with work-from-home arrangements and 72 percent with company success. Jobstreet interpreted these findings as indicating that younger Filipino workers increasingly seek work that aligns with their personal values while also providing flexibility and autonomy.
“Nakaka-feel ako ng pressure choosing a different path kasi yun na nga ‘yong nakasanayan na working onsite, yun na yung nakasanayan na makakaranas ka ng hassle due to transportation, iyong adjustment talaga. Pero in terms of your passion and peace, talagang for me dapat kong i-work out na dapat magkaroon ako ng stable na mental state as of the moment,” she says.
For Sheela, giving up a high salary, overtime pay, a fixed income, and the security of a corporate career is a sacrifice worth making. In exchange, she gains something she values even more: time for herself, without the guilt of having to ask for leave or constantly work around a demanding schedule.
For her, choosing a simpler life is a luxury. Having the freedom to manage her own time and work at her own pace, she believes, will give her the peace she needs and ultimately be better for her well-being.
“Tayo (Gen Z), kapag nafi-feel nating hindi na tayo nag-grow, aalis tayo, so talagang mas hunter tayo na dapat yung achievement na makukuha natin ay something na may patutunguhan. Risk-taker kasi tayong mga Gen Z, e.” Sheela said.
When asked about the lifestyle she hopes to have in choosing a simpler life, Sheela admitted that letting go of the things she used to do in the city would not be easy. Moving to the province also means adjusting to a slower economy and lower salary expectations.
Still, she believes the sacrifice is worth it. For Sheela, the slower pace may mean having less, but it also gives her something she has been longing for: a place where she can finally slow down, rest, and feel at peace.
“Mahirap in terms na lumaki ka sa Metro, pero in the long term talagang mas pipiliin mo nalang na magkaroon ng stable mental health na wala ka masyadong iisipin at tahimik ang lugar na gigising ka na maririnig mo pa ang ingay ng mga manok, hindi ng ingay na nasa metro ka puro busina galing sa mga sasakyan at traffic.” she says.
For Sheela, having a simpler life and quitting the corporate hustle is the new luxury.
“Having a simpler life, iyon yung luxury na meron ka. Na pagiging simpleng tao, at wala ka nang ibang hihilingin, na nali-live mo yung ganitong buhay,” she ended.
PROVINCIAL LIFE
Gallup, in “Generation Disconnected: Data on Gen Z in the Workplace”, stated that 68 percent of Gen Z and younger millennials felt stressed "a lot of the time," and that younger employees are more stressed and experience more work-related burnout than older generations. Gallup also noted that employees who frequently experience burnout are more likely to leave their job.
Like Mariz and Sheela, another Gen Z worker has also chosen to leave the corporate hustle behind, this time to embrace a quieter life in the province.
After three years working in the BPO industry located in Quezon City, Dianne Masamoc is now a part-time worker as a basket weaver, an artisan who crafts baskets by hand.
Settling in Bataan, she now takes on part-time jobs: basket weaving in a small business near her house and cleaning at a resort, earning a provincial pay but enjoying freedom and peace.
When asked if she has any regret about leaving the corporate hustle, she says, “Ngayon wala kasi malaya ako na gawin yung gusto ko at kumikita ako kahit papano, dito kasi di mo kailangan gastusin lahat.”
The daily commute and inability to save in Manila became her turning point. “Hindi talaga ako nakakaipon sa Maynila e… kaya mas nag-settle ako rito sa probinsya at nagpapagawa ng bahay ngayon na sarili ko.”
Though Dianne felt pressure seeing peers switch companies while she chose a different path, she values the simplicity of provincial life.
“Sa akin lang, matatakot ka talaga sa simula kasi pakiramdam mo nahuhuli ka. Pero yung saya at payapa na meron ako ngayon dito sa probinsya hindi ko ipagpapalit sa gulo ng Maynila.” she added.
Gallup's research emphasizes that Gen Z also wants flexibility and independence as they recognize its value for their personal well-being.
If they aren't burned out themselves, they've seen generations before them burn out. And they don't want that to be their future.