The pandemic has made us realize how much time we lose after work through commuting. Now that everything is returning to normal, workers increasingly perceive the daily commute as an integral part of their workday.

A 9-to-5 workday presumes that employees maintain a standard 40-hour workweek, beginning work at 9 a.m. and continuing, with brief breaks, until 5 p.m. While it might sound rigid, a 16-hour workday was the standard back in the Industrial Revolution, which prompted Welsh social reformer Richard Owen to advocate for the eight-hour workday as more sustainable based on the idea that with 24 hours in a day, it was important to balance them evenly between work, leisure, and rest.

Why Are Workers Hating After-Work Commitments?

Burnout coaches and career experts observe that many salaried employees experience the strain of feeling overworked, even if they are not officially clocking more than 40-hour weeks. Factors such as staying late at work occasionally, long commutes, and letting work-related stress encroach into personal time contribute to difficulties in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for many individuals.

This is exactly the sentiment of one TikToker and a mom named @sahnerd, who confronted this unsettling corporate culture firsthand while interviewing for new positions in recent months.

One job in particular, featuring a corporate campus, excellent benefits, and perks, appeared promising until she factored in an hour of unpaid breaks and her commute time, where she would need to allocate well over 55 hours per week on top of any additional stress or work she might handle at home.

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Workers Are Not Paid Enough

Another TikTok user named @resumeofficial also stitched a Washington Post article about why workers are not interested in after-events anymore: "It's because you don't pay them enough."

Most Gen Zs and millennials prioritize purpose-driven work and are willing to decline job offers that do not align with their values, as shown by a 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Deloitte Survey.  

That clearly answers why most people ditch the idea of attending after-work events when they could be making a second income instead of wasting their time, energy, and money elsewhere.

Gen Zs and millennials factor in a sense of purpose as a crucial role in satisfaction and overall well-being in the workplace. Without this, they are increasingly rejecting job assignments and employers that do not align with their ethics or beliefs, which might include decisions about environmental impact, contributing to inequality through non-inclusive practices, and personal factors like inadequate support for mental well-being and work-life balance.

Time Monopolization

However, the issue extends beyond inadequate pay and the need for extra income, as many employers just seek to fully monopolize their employees' time, @sahnerd continued. 

After interviewing for new jobs to leave her current position, this TikTok user expressed shock at the time commitments expected by potential employers. The commute alone exceeded an hour for one job, where hundreds, if not thousands, of people arrived daily on campus to work. She adds that when factoring in the workload and mandatory breaks, the total commitment amounted to at least 11 hours per day.

Many workplaces expect employees to prioritize their jobs above all else. Work is often seen as the culmination of effort and dedication and the primary source of income, and failing to meet these expectations can lead to feelings of job insecurity, adding to anxiety and unease among workers.

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