Rat Race Running

Last Updated on May 31, 2023

Many social media finance “influencers” belittle employees and people working 9 to 5 jobs, saying that you can’t reach financial freedom while working for a boss.

Unfortunately, these people need to understand that not everyone wants to be incredibly rich, be their own boss, or retire very early. 

Some people actually want a contented life with their family while working on a job that they believe serves their purpose and passion.

It’s just sometimes funny when “finance gurus” say they want to be a CEO and not an employee, not realizing that a CEO is also an employee.

So, for people who think employment is below them, they are missing the point because many wealthy entrepreneurs also started as employees, learning the ropes as they go until they can do it on their own.

Here are five reasons why being an employee is not that bad and may even be right for you.

1. You want a stable source of income.

The best thing about being a 9 to 5 employee is the stability of your income. This means you will receive a fixed salary once or twice a month that you can use for surviving adulting and even to fund your lifestyle goals.

It will also be easier to budget a stable income since you know how much you will receive monthly.

However, though a stable income is sure and secure, there is also the danger of being complacent on your job that you stop improving and growing, leading to a career plateau.

2. You want to receive regular employee benefits and bonuses.

The second advantage of being a 9-to-5 employee is the benefits that come with it, especially during the holiday season, and you’re a regular employee.

Some common bonuses that regular 9-to-5 workers enjoy are the 13th-month pay, Christmas bonus, and performance bonus. Some companies even give their employees stock options, annual salary appraisals, increases, and commissions.

However, these bonuses may also lead to complacency and staying in a dead-end job because their only motivation is the bonuses.

Related: 6 Ways To Spend Your Bonuses Besides Holiday Expenses

3. You want less pressure to work beyond your job description.

Quiet quitting started to trend and become mainstream in 2022 because more and more employees, especially younger employees, are already stressed out with their work and have lost motivation.

I’m not a fan of this trend because I would rather resign (which I did last time) than do subpar work. However, this trend is one of the advantages of being an employee because they are technically still doing what their job requires, just not on a level beyond their job description.

On the other hand, if you’re an entrepreneur or freelancer, your output may be based on the demands of your clients. Some people may even joke that they quit their 9 to 5 job and are now working 24 hours.

4. You want to have a work routine to follow.

Though you can attain and develop a work routine whether you’re employed, own a business, or freelance, a regular employee is molded and forced to follow a work routine.

Being employed is a great advantage for people who need external motivation before acting because they’ll have a fixed schedule to follow.

They know when to wake up, prepare and get dressed, leave the house, commute (or not if you’re WFH), work, return home, and more.

The downside is that your daily schedule leans on your job, and your plans will all depend on changes in your job, like when you’re doing overtime work and more.

5. You still want to start a side hustle.

The great thing about a 9-to-5 employment scheme is that, depending on your job industry, it may still allow you to work on a side hustle to increase your earning potential outside your regular workload.

You may do simple freelance gigs, consulting, and more as long as your full-time job is not affected. I know people earning a modest salary from their day job while working double-time on their side hustle.

Then eventually, when their side hustle earnings have finally reached a point, they can finally leave their 9 to 5 job to pursue their side hustle full time.

Related: 5 Lessons From My First Months of Freelancing

Final Thought

Being a 9-to-5 employee may not sound sexy today, especially to the younger generation, because of the impact of social media influencers downplaying being an employee.

However, it is also important to note that everyone has personal and career goals, and their job is only a mean to fruition.

This goes for both entrepreneurs and employees – to each your own. If you think working on a job is better for you, then be employed.

If you think you are not reaching your potential on your day job and want to enter entrepreneurship or freelancing, then do it.

Just remember that there are great lessons you’ll learn from employment.