In the hiring and business worlds, for a variety of (often incorrect) reasons, Gen Z has been labelled as “lazy” and “entitled.” Gen Z workers are the newest entrants to the workforce, and, as such, have been the subject of confusion from their older counterparts. But Gen Z, by and large, are not lazy or poor workers. The overgeneralization tends to let the poor workers rise to prominence, rather than focus on the truth of the matter – Gen Z is rewriting the workplaces language and changing workplace trends. You need to be prepared for them.
Changing Workplace Trend #1: Seeking Comfort
It is no secret Gen Z workers seek a lot of comfort. This comfortability can take many forms. Some of the most common include eschewing traditional workplace attire commitments, prioritizing their mental wellbeing, and setting strong boundaries between work and other life commitments.
To start, the simplest one is probably the seeming lack of decorum shown regarding dress codes. Rather than coming to work in a suit and tie, Gen Zers argue why does it matter? There is no question a lot of this came out of the pandemic and everyone working from home. Does wearing a T-shirt and sneakers make a difference to the work? In most industries, especially with limited customer or public-facing interaction, the answer is likely no.
Similarly, mental health awareness and wellness are becoming big topics in the Gen Z workforce. Prioritizing burnout avoidance, which is essentially what Gen Z does, actually can help worker retention and productivity. The “grindset” propagated over the last decades has shown extreme levels of stress and burn out. In many ways, Gen Z is doing the workforce a favor with this changing workplace trend.
In the same vein as the prioritizing mental health, Gen Zers are becoming increasing rigid in their setting of work/life balance boundaries. Whether that means not checking emails of messaging apps after working hours or refusing last minute assignments without commensurate compensation, Gen Z is saying “respect me and my boundaries.”
Changing Workplace Trend #2: Workplace “Cheating”
Probably one the most controversial aspects of Gen Z workers is their willingness to “cheat” at work. This might include something simple like using artificial intelligence to do part of their job. That might be reasonable, especially if it boost productivity or efficiency. But, it could also include other, less desirable activities.
One of these activities might include the idea of “quiet quitting” wherein a worker still completes his duties, but does not go above and beyond. This act might have a number of factors. Was the worker passed up for a promotion or raise they worked for and anticipated? Is the project a good fit? Maybe the act will only last a day or a week until the worker gets out of a slump, but it can last for months. The idea of quiet quitting came to light in late 2022 and has hung around ever since.
Changing Workplace Trend #3: It’s Just a Job
Gen Z, unlike its older counterparts, does not tend to see their job as part of their identity. Gen Z goes to work and completes their duties, but they do not see the desire to only identify as a “statistician” or “electrician” or whatever other role is on hand. Rather, Gen Zers focus on keeping role they have and enjoying life outside of work. Climbing the corporate ladder is not a changing workplace trend that interests Gen Zers. Gen Zers tend to suck up unfulfilling work or bad managers just so they can enjoy the here and now, set themselves up for success later, or both.
In all, the simplest acknowledgement to make is that Gen Z is different than previous generations. As the future of the changing workplace trends, accommodating Gen Z will need to happen.
