The last thing you’ll want to tell someone as an adult is “I’m unemployed”. I feel that’s the pressure that has been instilled into us by our parents’ generation. Unemployment seems like a taboo topic for grown-ups because an adult shouldn’t be seen not working. Somehow adulting means having to work constantly, and being unemployed isn’t an option. Well, the Gen Zs today think otherwise, and they would like to offer you a new groovy trend called “funemployment”, which simply means adding fun to unemployment,and why you should embrace unemployment and maximise this opportunity.

What is “funemployment”?

To better understand what funemployment looks like to a Gen Z, think of it as dancing in the rain without an umbrella, or eating a pint of ice-cream while watching your favourite Netflix film on your couch.

Basically, it’s unemployment but with some shimmer and sparkles, because the Gen Z do not see unemployment as hopelessness. If anything, it’s the time where one gets to explore their inner creative genius, or maybe even find a new direction in life. They see it as an opportunity rather than a crisis. 

Singaporeans lack the opportunity for self-discovery

Who says you cannot have fun while being unemployed? Who says unemployment shouldn’t be an option for adults? Most importantly, what’s so wrong about being unemployed and having fun? 

To the Gen Z, being unemployed is a time for personal growth and self-discovery. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, they would rather use this downtime to explore new interests, learn new skills and understand themselves better. 

You might be wondering, why one would need time off to develop personal growth or self-discovery. Well, that’s because most Singaporeans follow a typical route, and by that, I mean going to primary school, secondary school, pre-tertiary education, university and then straight to work, simply because that’s the “way of life”. However, if you take a step back and look at it, you’ll realise that there’s barely time for us to explore life when we were growing up since we have been tuned to chase after academic achievements. 

So often, when you ask a university student “Why are you studying what you’re studying?”, you’ll probably get answers like “My parents want me to” or “I had good grades, so why not”. The lack of exploration then gave birth to this generation of funemployment, where they are exposed to the world more with technology and understanding that there are opportunities available, even if they are unconventional choices.  

Times have changed 

With improved standards of living, kids these days have the privilege to prioritise things they love to do, their mental well-being and finding meaning in the work they do. The opportunities that kids get these days, such as overseas exchange programmes, overseas internships and work-travel opportunities, provide eye-opening experiences for us Singaporeans on this little red dot. 

Additionally, there’s been an emphasis on slow living, prioritising mental health and self-care across social media, especially with COVID-19. This further encouraged the Gen Zs out there to rethink their life choices and call it quits when a certain activity or approach is not beneficial to their mental well-being. 

Funemployment doesn’t mean the Gen Zs are lazy!

Being unemployed can be financially stressful, and if you think the Gen Zs are doing nothing about their financial situation, you might be wrong. In fact, they are very much the side hustle heroes. Gen Zs are innovative, daring and resourceful, which makes them flexible and adaptable in new environments and situations, challenging themselves to seek new opportunities every day. 

With kids being exposed to information on the internet and access to education, it is common to hear them saving and investing their money at a young age. They are fully aware of how to farm and save their money wisely with savings plans, and get tips and financial knowledge from finance blogs

The gig economy and freelance work are also their new playgrounds, where they make money while pursuing their passions, or even during their self-discovery phase. With unconventional jobs such as influencers, YouTubers, and live-streamers becoming increasingly acceptable and proven to be paying the bills, the younger generation has also begun exploring such options where they can earn side income while fulfilling their needs and wants. 

Chillin' and Thrivin' could be the new tagline 

Although funemployment is now an option for most, we have to acknowledge that choosing to be unemployed is a privilege in itself and that one must have enough savings and be in a phase of life with fewer responsibilities to do so. 

Long gone are those days when unemployment is like grey clouds hanging over our heads. To the Gen Zs, unemployment is seeing a rainbow after a rainy day; it’s all about personal growth, creativity, learning and self-care. Unemployment can be the start of a brand new adventure. Let funemployment be your mantra and see where it takes you!