Why GenZ doesn’t want to work anymore

The 40-hour work standard established after the industrial revolution remains largely unchanged even after nearly a century. However, the newer generation, often called Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), is challenging this status quo. Recent surveys show that 1 in 6 companies are hesitant to hire Gen Z employees, with 45% of corporate managers stating it is challenging to work with Gen Z, citing that they are easily offended, resistant to feedback and criticism, and overly reliant on technology. So what’s going on here? Is Gen Z lazy? Do they simply not want to work anymore?

First, let’s clarify some terminology. Baby Boomers and Gen X encompass people born between 1946 and 1980, and for simplicity, I will refer to them collectively as Gen X throughout this article. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, represent the middle generation, but for the purpose of this discussion, we’ll focus on Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012. To address the elephant in the room, we are not saying that all people from this generation fit these characteristics, but rather discussing trends observed in a significant portion of the group.

Now, let’s jump right in. Here are some arguments from Gen Z:

1. Considering salary differences between CEO’s of big corporations and how they have evolved compared to freshers , the big corporations (top brass made up of GenX) can afford to pay more to the genZ but they are not doing so exploiting the workforce. GenZ argue that GenX are getting greedy because they have fallen to the “dark side” of corporate capitalism
2. Corporations present themselves as big, supportive families, yet when a Gen Z employee requests a raise or a leave, Gen X managers can take it personally
3. These managers(GenX), motivated by self-interest (a concept termed “managerial capitalism” in the book The Visible Hand), are accused of imposing unmanageable stress and unrealistic deadlines on Gen Z employees, offering minimal flexibility, and often failing to pay a living wage.
4. GenZ are kaind of saying that “It’s not like we don’t want jobs or we don’t want to work or that we are harder to work with ..its more like the it is harder to work for GenX”. They are saying “We are not lazy , we are just taking stand for ourselves”.
5. This whole system of toxic work culture was invented by GenX and they need to realise that work is a necessary evil for survival and not some lifelong passion project.
6. If this whole game is rigged in your favor, we’re simply not interested in playing it.

Heres a response from GenX

1. You have the freedom to engage in ‘quiet quitting’ (showing your employer you’re working without truly engaging), ‘mouse-jiggling’ (faking activity on digital platforms), or ‘unbossing’ (deliberately avoiding managerial roles) because you have the privilege and financial security that we helped provide
2. Beyond money, there are values like work ethic, productivity, and the satisfaction of contributing to a larger vision. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and not everything can be reduced to monetary gain
3. Not everyone can become a social media influencer and earn their living and for the vast majority there needs to be some sort of structure where things will go considering somewhat traditional career path
4. We endured this toxic system to build our future and you need to do the same.

In my view, both sides present valid points, and the solution likely lies somewhere in the middle. Gen X must understand that Gen Z often views money and jobs as essentials for survival and expects fair pay, flexible schedules, and support in developing work ethics. However, Gen X also needs to keep their personal and professional expectations separate, avoiding excessive demands. If they do this, issues of exploitation may diminish. GenZ, on the other hand, should recognize that feedback, criticism, and work-related stress are unavoidable parts of any career; while they can limit these challenges to an extent, they cannot entirely escape them (even social media influencers face pressures and deadlines).

Before concluding, I’d like to add that Gen X often wanted a better future for their children, with less work and more enjoyment, yet now they seem to expect Gen Z to adhere to the same traditional norms. Perhaps it’s time Gen X reexamines their own expectations and works toward a balanced solution.

For those interested in exploring these issues further, I recommend the books Beyond Wealth, Four Thousand Weeks, and Slow Productivity for valuable insights. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so we can all learn together and make strides toward a solution.