Gen Z is lazy. They prioritize play over work, choose contentment over burnout, and value well-being over being pressured. Is Gen Z really the least hireable generation, or do we need to reconsider our approach to work-life balance? Many big bosses assume we live to work when we actually work to live.
Generational Mentality
For the first time in history, there are five generations in the workforce: The Silent Generation (1925-1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-2000), and Generation Z (2001-2020). Can all five coexist?
Older generations, such as Baby boomers and Gen X, have romanticized career sacrifice. In the past, success has often been equated to “hustle culture.” Working extra hours, weekends, and even holidays has encouraged a cycle that eliminates work-life balance altogether, all in an effort to climb the corporate ladder.
The shift from career advancements to personal development, job security to craving balance, and wanting a purpose over loyalty can be a jarring concept for older co-workers to grasp.
Workplace etiquette used to be about who was the first to show up and the last to leave, but Gen Z is arriving right at nine and leaving at five on the dot.
They aren’t entertaining performative productivity. Instead, they’re doing what their predecessors failed to do: prioritize the work-life balance. And maybe they’re onto something.
The stereotype of Gen Z’s lack of motivation is often perceived in their differing priorities. A recent study by Unstop showed that 47% of Gen Z employees ranked having a work-life balance as important for long-term career satisfaction.
Job satisfaction rates have reached an all-time high in the last two years, according to a report done by The Conference Board. Overall, job satisfaction rates have been on the rise post-pandemic, roughly around the time Gen Z entered the workforce.
Mental Health in The Workplace
Gen Z is controversially the first generation to be openly vocal about mental health both in and outside of work. The reality is that most employers don’t prioritize their employees’ well-being. Only about 15% of workers reported their company offering mental health days, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
Companies are now trying to adapt to this new normal—that should have always been the norm.
Policies like remote days and flexible hours are the biggest shifts being made. They allow employees to center their priorities and create a work-life balance.
Currently, more than a third of current undergraduate students say it is crucial for their employers to provide mental health coverage as part of their healthcare, from a survey done by Handshake.
From the survey, a student from the 2025 cohort shared,
“Mental health is a huge contributing factor to productivity. When an employee’s personal health and wellness is taken care of, it will be reflected in their work.”
All Gen Z is asking for is access to mental health services and a culture of wellness in the workplace, ideas that were seen as taboo to their older co-workers.
It’s easy to point fingers and call employees lazy when they don’t go the extra mile at their desks.
Career Longevity – Where’s the Balance?
The phenomenon of quiet quitting isn’t solely exclusive to Gen Z, but they have popularized it. Quiet quitting refers to an employee doing the bare minimum that eventually leads to their resignation.
A study done by Harvard Business Review found that quiet quitting is more about “bad bosses, not bad employees.” It’s about bosses’ failed ability to foster a positive work culture rather than the employer being unmotivated.
In comparison to older generations, Gen Z has reported higher stress levels and burnout due to work, according to John Hopkins University.
Both stress and burnout have direct impacts on long-term career progress and work performance. It’s an epidemic in the workplace and one of the main reasons they job-hop.
Having a sense of purpose is one of the things Gen Z searches for when applying for jobs. A survey done by Deloitte found that 86% of Gen Z believe that having a sense of purpose in their job is very important for their job satisfaction and overall well-being. They also found that 77% of Gen Z feel that it is important to work for a company whose values align with their own.
About half of Gen Z has “rejected an assignment or project based on their personal ethics or beliefs… and more personal factors such as support for employees’ mental well-being and work-life balance,” writes Deloitte.
(Side) Hustle Culture
In creating the perfect work-life balance, Gen Z is more likely than others to have a side hustle.
The Deloitte survey also found that 45% of Gen Z reported having a part-time or full-time paying side job. The top reason is for having a second source of income.
Side hustles allow Gen Zers financial freedom and the opportunity to have hobbies while expanding their social network.
Some side hustles include reselling products, working in restaurants or retail, and doing what they do best: social media.
A survey done by Statista found that Gen Z was ranked the most entrepreneurial generation, granting them the title of the Hustle Generation.
The range of motivating factors that have led Gen Z to adopt this nontraditional mindset has set them apart from their colleagues, but not necessarily in a bad way. It has urged us to take a second look at the way we view our work-life balance.
Side hustles have also given them the ability to expand their career skills in a way a traditional 9-5 can’t.
Nearly more than a third of American adults have side hustles, according to a study by Bankrate. 36% reported needing a side hustle to support regular living expenses, and another 32% reported that they would always need one just to make ends meet.
Ted Rossman, a senior Credit Card Analyst at Bankrate, shared on the website,
“While it’s admirable that so many Americans are putting in extra time and effort on their side hustles, it’s unfortunate that most are doing so simply to fund their expenses.”
Ted Rossman
Whether Gen Z’s end goal is to work for themselves, find a new passion, or monetize their hobbies, it’s unfair to label them lazy.
Gen Z isn’t refusing work. They are just trying to make work work for them.
Wes whitler
December 16, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Great observations about this generation. I see this in my grandkids hopefully, as they age they will grow out of this mindset for work. I like the incorporation of the linked videos as part of the article. Keep up with articles like this – I think you might have a future in journalism!