A journalist from *Iltalehti* in Finland, Riika Tauriainen, reflects on a harsh lesson learned early in her career: young workers are expected to push themselves to the point of exhaustion. She explains this isn’t due to a lack of work ethic in young people, but rather a systemic pressure within the Finnish workplace. The core issue, as she experienced it while working at a fast-food restaurant, is the belief that one person’s absence creates additional work for others. This mentality, she argues, is ingrained in the Finnish work culture from a young age, with the implication that taking time off burdens colleagues. Tauriainen highlights that this expectation can lead to burnout and a disregard for employee well-being. She emphasizes this dynamic impacts those entering the Finnish workforce before the age of 20, as was her experience. The article serves as a commentary on the pressures faced by young people entering the labor market in Finland.