GigglyPotato

tl;dr: Gen-Z with pedigree have zero work ethics

I’m not trying to romanticize burnout or act like overworking is the goal - no one’s asking for 80-hour weeks or to be glued to a desk. It’s just about showing up and really putting in the work during the hours you're actually there. Get through the day, put in the grind for the 8-9 hours, instead of always finding little workarounds or boundaries like work’s this huge burden. With some folks, especially Gen-Z? It’s like they’re expecting applause just for clocking in.

Honestly, the entitlement sometimes is hard to understand. Wanting work-life balance? Totally fair, makes sense. But there’s still a basic commitment that comes with a job. Every time there’s a project with a bit of grit, it feels like there’s this immediate instinct to push back, sidestep the tough parts, and look for the smoothest route. Nobody’s above rolling up their sleeves, you know? But some of these guys, they treat working hard like it’s an outdated concept, like giving full effort is optional. And for those with the big names on their degrees? Sometimes it feels like they think that alone should mean they’re past the heavy lifting. They want the titles and perks, but without really showing the effort.

On the other hand, working with folks who didn’t have all those privileges? Whole different story. They’re here ready to prove something, fully leaning into whatever task’s in front of them. They don’t get caught up in endless boundary-setting or second-guessing feedback - they’re putting in the work, seeing it as a chance, not a chore. And they don’t expect shortcuts; they’re in for the real effort.

It’s not about glorifying long hours - it’s about being fully present for the hours you’re on the clock. Seeing some of this avoidance around commitment, it’s like somewhere along the line, the understanding got lost that success is built in the small, daily grind - the stuff that doesn’t come with instant validation.

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ZippyWalrus

Siemens7mo

Genz are completely right in taking work as it is in this economy. Working hard needs to amount to something by achieving some life goals. If people can't buy or rent a house and live paycheck to paycheck, what is the incentive to work hard. genz wants work to be secondary until their own thing becomes successful.

DerpyPancake

Stealth7mo

Would you mind sharing some examples? Possibly something that better explains the comparison you've drawn in your post

CosmicBurrito

Stealth7mo

Ok then hire the people without privileges 👍

SparklyHamster

TCS7mo

I will give example

Near to my office seat there is group of 4 genz developers. Who come to office and watch Netflix or some other ott in office half of the day .and remaining half goes in meeting lunch and tea breaks And on top of that I heard them saying in meetings that they are not able to understand the code which they are supposed to work on.

I never saw those 4 guys putting effort to understand the code or having discussion about technical things .

But on other side there are committed individuals as well . It's just that committed people are getting lesser day by day ....

SquishyPenguin

Yubi7mo

Almost every SRCC/LSR and equivalent DU kids I have met have craqzy god compelx.

PerkyDumpling

Stealth7mo

They are pretty good colleges

DerpyUnicorn

American Express7mo

Ask yourself one question- underprivileged people that you have described in 2nd last paragraph, are you paying them more? If not, write to the employers. It’s not Gen Z’s fault. You sound a manager yourself. Next time, give a better appraisal :)

PrancingKoala

Flipkart7mo

This is a gross generalisation

WigglyBurrito

Career Break7mo

This sounds exactly like the meme:

"Not trying to sound racist but asian people....."

Gen-Z are doing the right thing atleast the ones under my team they are trying to learn stuff and respect the work only during the 9 assigned hours. I myself as a team lead feel empowered that I can pushback against middle management who expects people to slog 14 hours and not have a life.

SillyMuffin

Cred7mo

No ethics whatsoever. Degree ka kha rhe hain saare

FuzzyPanda

CARS247mo

Says a cred employee, precisely the definition of irony.

PrancingPotato

KPMG7mo

There are some sincere people in genz too. What the older generation needs to understand is that the world is not like the way it was when you were our age. Now there is more competition, more expectations, more load that you had in your time. And that's absolutely fine I'm not boasting about it or asking for any sympathy. The thing is - those sincere people who work their ass off to please the older generation get hardly any appreciation, rather they get criticism. Their self confidence is destroyed by the excessive expectations of older generation. A straight tree is cut first. More sincere a person, higher the expectations. Now that with increasing work load and competition the pressure on genz is rising, they can either die or try to create solid boundaries with work and expectations. They are one thousand percent right.
~ by a sincere genz who has only been criticised, who has seen mean people without work ethics getting less expectations and more appreciations. Who has destroyed personal desires just to please the older generation. Whose integrity was never seen. Gen z are absolutely talented at work, just with boundaries and that is the antidote to the poision of older generation.

MagicalNarwhal

Chubb7mo

I have a colleague, who works his ass off to impress a manager. I don't. Recently he was told by the same manager, that he doesn't believe in promotions in the early years of your career. I'm switching soon to a promotion with better work.

MagicalNarwhal

Chubb7mo

No shade to anyone working hard at their jobs, but people preaching this sound like "humare sath hua toh tumhare sath bhi hona chahiye"....times do change though

BouncyMarshmallow

Accenture7mo

Let recession come, they will be surprised how utterly dispensable they are..

BubblyBagel

Razorpay7mo

We know we are dispensable that's we don't bent over backwards for corpos

SwirlyBiscuit

Persistent Systems7mo

GenZ enjoying real corporate life, your value matters not corporate pressure.

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Struggling with gen z hires work ethic. Am I alone?

How do you guys check for good work ethic? Serious answers only please 🙏

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