Utilizing an extended vacancy from employment to strategically plan and reap career advantages during a calculated career hiatus
Micro-retirement, a concept that encourages individuals to take short to medium-length career breaks, is gaining traction among early-career professionals, particularly among Gen Z workers. This novel approach to balancing work and life offers renewal and flexibility, but also poses financial and career-continuity challenges.
A marketing manager named Ms Sue Ann Teo, aged 42, recently took a career break last October. Prior to her break, she was working for a company dealing in luxury products. Ms Teo expressed dissatisfaction with seeing people spend money on expensive items while there is suffering in the world. Despite enjoying the work-life balance at her company and her working relationship with colleagues, she felt that her role was not fulfilling.
During her career break, Ms Teo is doing part-time work for a startup and using the time to reassess her priorities. Career breaks, also known as sabbaticals, are becoming popular among certain segments of the workforce. They may be a growing option for those seeking a break from their careers to reassess their goals.
Ms Shub Faujdar, chief career coach at JobS-ME Singapore, has observed this trend among early-career professionals. She believes that these individuals are seeking a better balance between work and personal life. Early-career professionals in their 20s are rejecting the notion of working non-stop and delaying enjoyment of their labor until old age.
The concept of micro-retirement is a response to the pressure to work continuously and the desire for a more fulfilling career. For early-career professionals, these breaks can offer a way to prevent burnout, establish work-life balance, explore new career options, and maintain mental health by stepping away temporarily from job pressures. However, they also come with financial risks since income ceases during the break, there's no guaranteed job upon return, and frequent breaks might negatively impact promotion prospects or staying updated with industry changes.
Financial preparedness remains a major hurdle, as many professionals cannot easily afford unpaid time off, and some employers might interpret micro-retirement as a lack of commitment. Nevertheless, the trend suggests a shift in attitudes towards work and retirement among early-career professionals. As more individuals seek to integrate breaks throughout their careers rather than at the end, the concept of micro-retirement may become increasingly relevant in the modern workforce.
In summary, micro-retirement in career breaks is a novel approach to balancing work and life that affects early-career professionals by offering renewal and flexibility but also posing financial and career-continuity challenges. As more individuals take career breaks to reassess their priorities, the concept of micro-retirement may become a more common and accepted practice in the modern workforce.
- Ms Shub Faujdar, chief career coach at JobS-ME Singapore, highlighted that early-career professionals are gravitating towards career breaks not only for work-life balance but also for personal growth and education-and-self-development, as they look to refresh their priorities and explore new career opportunities.
- Career breaks or micro-retirements can serve as a valuable tool for career development, allowing professionals to temporarily step away from job pressures, prevent burnout, and maintain mental health, while also offering them the chance to enhance their personal growth and skills acquisition during the break, thereby positioning them for better prospects in the future.
