10 Gen Z Work Ethic Quirks That Boomers Think Are Bad But Are Actually Good For You
Everyone could learn a thing or two from Gen Z's attitude towards work.
CarlosBarquero | Shutterstock Despite being largely impacted by job insecurity and adopting pragmatic attitudes in the face of a tumultuous job market, like an employment report from Deloitte suggests, there's a much more nuanced and diverse picture of Gen Z workers that characterizes their changemaker attitude in the workplace. Alongside already present generational disconnect and resentment, it's not surprising that there's tension in traditional work spaces between Gen Z and older generations like baby boomers, especially as they work to change general employment values and the way work-life balance is viewed.
While these tensions have sparked discourse misguidedly labeling Gen Z as collectively "lazy" at work, rather than innovative or creative for reimagining Corporate America, there are certain Gen Z work ethic quirks that boomers think are bad but are actually good for you. From combating burnout, to setting the right work-life boundaries, and making connections with co-workers, every professional person has something to learn from Gen Z's attitude about work.
Here are 10 Gen Z work ethic quirks that boomers think are bad but are actually good for you
1. Ditching traditional officewear for comfortable clothes
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Generational divide and resentment is impossible to ignore at work. From traditional regulations promoted by boomer leaders to equally innovative and uncomfortable pushbacks from Gen Z, there's never going to be consensus on everything in the workplace. Everything is constantly changing, especially as younger generations, with their own boundaries, values, and expectations, grow into leadership positions of influence.
One of the most common Gen Z work ethic quirks that boomers think are bad but are actually good for you is officewear. Not only does Gen Z largely push back against traditional expectations of officewear like business casual clothing, they've reimagined what general workwear looks like, adopting comfortable clothing that helps to motivate and keep them productive throughout the day.
Like many of the other values Gen Z brings with them to work, their radical and innovative sense of workplace style is motivated by one underlying theme: there's more to life than work.
2. Leveraging technology for efficiency and productivity
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While there's certainly specific professions where technology assistance like AI isn't appropriate for use at work, Gen Z's adoption of other efficiency strategies leveraging the accessibility of tech has greatly helped boost their productivity and focus at work.
From streaming focus music, to asking ChatGPT questions, to using online software to prioritize their projects, leveraging technology is actually one of the Gen Z work ethic quirks that boomers think are bad but are actually good for you.
3. Asking for accommodations at work
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While asking for help and accommodations to support your comfort at work isn't necessarily a "quirk," but rather a healthy habit that young people have only recently made popular for more demographics, it's no surprise that many of the older generations of traditional leaders are frustrated by the additional work it takes to truly accommodate these requests.
While personalization should be a given in any healthy working environment — ensuring workers feel supported, valued, and heard by their employers — Gen Z is one of the first collective generations to demand it from their companies.
Whether it's physical support, accommodations for mental health struggles, or even a level of grace with basic regulations like clothing expectations, comfort in the office, and hybrid schedules, Gen Z is willing to ask for the help they need to work for productively, comfortably, and efficiently.
4. Coffee badging
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"Coffee badging," a new workplace trend where workers are clocking in, grabbing coffee, proving their office presence, and then going home to work, has become increasingly popular for younger generations falling victim to a rigid, in-person workplace structure.
While there's certainly a limit to how productive and appropriate a trend like this is in practice, the sentiment behind prioritizing work-life balance — especially for a job that employees can do entirely from their laptop — can be incredibly healthy for workers to adopt.
Considering nearly 80% of Gen Z workers want more remote work opportunities, even if it's a hybrid schedule, it's not surprising that many are taking the initiative to prove to their companies that it's completely possible.
Yes, making connections at work is important and in-person social interactions are still valuable for teams. But at what point does forcing a 9-to-5 every day schedule take away from the productivity and happiness of workers?
5. Taking wellness days
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According to a PapersOwl survey, despite nearly one-third of workers admitting they've taken an unplanned day off when they're not actually sick, there's still an ever-present stigma around "wellness" or "mental health days" in the workplace.
Specifically popular for Gen Z, who promotes their general well-being in a number of ways, including at the workplace, taking a wellness day to recharge and relax amid burnout symptoms can help them to return to work much more productive and happy.
While it may be stigmatized in older generations who have been radicalized by "hustle culture" and overbearing work schedules, taking a break works wonders. It may be subtle, but it's a right that most workers have to take a day off when they need it, even if they're not physically sick, as exhaustion and burnout can quickly sabotage health, along with productivity and efficiency.
6. Taking a quick nap during the day
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While many of us are perfectly comfortable taking a lunch break to eat food and fuel our physical bodies during the workday, many younger generations are making innovative uses of this time, even taking a quick nap to refuel. Despite seeming impossible or inappropriate to many older generations, there's ways to leverage a midday nap to skyrocket productivity and efficiency in the office, whether you're working from home or the office.
According to experts from the Mayo Clinic, a quick 20-minute nap during the day not only helps to boost mental clarity and energy levels, it can also lead to a better mood and long-term social and cognitive skills.
When we're rested and our brains have a chance to turn off, even for 20 minutes, we can return back to our workday feeling more motivated and refreshed, which helps everyone long-term. So, if you're in an office, bring a pillow. Even better yet, if you're working from home, grab a couch.
7. Removing work communication apps from your phone
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While many Gen Zers have worked hard to maintain their workplace success and have surely tackled many obstacles entering the job market in their early adult years, many of them prioritize work-life balance above all else. In fact, according to a SurveyMonkey study on Gen Zers, this generation is more likely than any other to name work-life balance as their top priority in the workplace.
Not only do they actively work to push back against toxic leadership expectations of long hours, forced overtime, and misleading job descriptions, they schedule their own time and set unique boundaries that ensure they have the space to enjoy their personal lives.
When they show up to work, they're present and working. When they leave, they're unplugged, removing Teams, Slack, or their work emails from their phones to ensure they're not distracted or stressed by the constant anxiety of their worklife expectations.
8. Only working the hours you're expected to work
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Especially as Gen Z continues to flood the workplace, projected to grow from 18% to nearly 45% in the next decade, they have no incentive to change their attitudes around work and work-life balance.
While they may still be battling infamous and misguided perspectives of their "laziness" now — for simply dismantling the idea that work needs to be your entire identity — their work-life expectations, boundaries, and workplace values will soon become the new norm, as they continue to grow into leadership roles and start companies of their own.
Even for the subtle Gen Z work ethic quirks that boomers think are bad but are actually good for you, like working the time you're expected to work and then closing your laptop and going home, Gen Zers make time for themselves in unsuspectingly radical ways.
Your work shouldn't be your entire life, especially if it's not something that you truly enjoy or find meaning in, and setting boundaries like this one can ensure you're not letting it eat away at your personal time and emotional well-being.
9. De-prioritizing making friends at work
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Considering Gen Z workers are collectively protective over their work-life balance and professional boundaries, it's not surprising that many of them steer clear of making relationships with their co-workers that extend beyond the walls of their office. From company events to meeting up with peers outside of work, Gen Z is much less inclined to blur the boundaries between social connection at work and beyond.
Of course, making connections and bonding with people you see everyday is important, but never to the extent that they become "like a family" in a toxic way that sparks feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment when you need to reassert your boundaries.
10. Always job searching, even when they're happy at work
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While it might seem counterproductive to keep an active Linkedin account, make professional connections, or apply for jobs when you're perfectly happy in your current role, there's benefits to staying connected to the job market regardless of your job security.
Outside of simply prepping for an unexpected lay-off or unforeseen financial circumstance, continuing to job search can keep you informed about growth potential and salary expectations in your industry.
Already struggling with basic expenses and liveable wages early in their career, this Gen Z trend ensures that workers can advocate for themselves, better wages, and the best kind of support in their current role. Even if they interview and turn down another role, they have the experience and context to better excel and advocate with their current employer.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.