Gen Z Workers Refuse To Follow These 12 Unspoken Job Rules
It's not that Gen Z doesn't want to work, they just don't want to work the way you think they should.
Halfpoint / Shutterstock Gen Z workers have only been in the workforce a relatively short amount of time compared to their millennial, Gen X, and baby boomer counterparts, but many are already fed up with what's expected of them and have decided to abandon many traditional work rules. It might sound bizarre to older people who think workplace etiquette simply is what it is, but there are Gen Z workers who now refuse to follow unspoken job rules they believe are dated, inappropriate, or out-of-touch.
The editorial team from global hiring and job matching platform Indeed says that workplace etiquette is important because it establishes respect among co-workers. That being said, respect should be mutual, so the rules at work need to work for everyone involved. From refusing to work into the late hours of the night to insisting there's no reason to go into the office when they can much more easily and efficiently work from home, Gen Z is shaking up what it means to have work-life balance and advocate for yourself in your career.
Gen Z workers refuse to follow these 12 unspoken job rules
1. Accepting low pay even though they have years of experience
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Gen Z workers refuse to accept low pay when they have years of experience. Many companies don’t want to cough up the necessary dough to pay their employees fair wages. Instead, they’d rather skate around the issue whenever Gen Z brings it to their attention. In their eyes, they don’t see the need to pay Gen Z workers a larger wage considering most of Gen Z is desperate for a job anyway.
However, this type of behavior is bound to bite them back, as a survey from ResumeLab found that 70% of Gen Z say that salary is a crucial element in determining if they will stay with an employer or not. Combined with their bosses' dismissive attitude, employers shouldn’t be surprised if their employees walk away because they find better opportunities elsewhere.
2. Loyalty to one company
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Nowadays loyalty to one company isn’t a rule Gen Z workers feel the need to follow anymore. Back in the day, employees were expected to stick around. Regardless of the issues they might’ve encountered, most employees were taught that their loyalty would be heavily rewarded if they stuck around.
Gen Z has quickly learned that loyalty can only get them so far. Unfortunately, many employers remain stagnant with their pay after a while. Feeling cheated, most Gen Z won’t hesitate to cut ties with a company if it means increasing their pay.
A survey from Pew Research Center found that between April 2021 through March 2022, workers who switched jobs saw a 60% increase in their salary. So, as cold as it may sound, Gen Z understands that looking out for themselves can pay off.
3. Keeping their personal life separate from their work life
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Another unspoken job rule Gen Z workers refuse to follow is keeping their personal life separate from their work life. Employees have been taught that being silent about their personal life was the best route to take in the workforce. This kind of expectation can turn employees into machines with no feelings or obligations outside of their careers.
Never discussing your personal life can directly impact someone's work life for the worse. For instance, if their employer doesn't understand why they need to show up ten minutes late for the next few weeks then they'll assume that their worker is 'just being lazy' and will likely fire them. Unfortunately, not understanding their employee's obligations outside of their busy work hours.
This is why Gen Z chooses to be clear about where things are in their personal life. Though it might be tough, Gen Z will always choose to open up, allowing their bosses to understand where their needs need to be met.
4. Putting in long hours
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The next unspoken job rule Gen Z workers refuse to follow is putting in the long hours. Back in the day, it wasn't uncommon for bosses to expect new workers to put in unpaid overtime. These employers cornered their employees and didn't allow for a proper work-life balance. In their eyes, the company's profit mattered more than their employees' mental well-being leading to extreme burnout.
Unfortunately, this didn't work out well for employers, as research published by Frontiers in Public Health found that high levels of burnout are associated with productivity loss due to absence and declines in performance.
This impacts the company's profits if they aren't careful. So though it might be slightly inconvenient, employers may want to take a page from Gen Z's book and allow them to leave on time.
5. Ignoring their mental health needs
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Another unspoken job rule Gen Z workers refuse to follow is ignoring their own mental health needs. Both employers and employees must take their mental health seriously if they want to see their company succeed. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that mental health plays an important role in improving job performance.
Working employees to the bone simply doesn't make much sense. It not only fosters a negative work environment, but it also creates resentment and leads to low retention rates. This then leads to losing profits on training new people.
So, instead, companies should follow Gen Z's lead and start taking their employees' mental health more seriously. The American Psychological Association warns that companies that don't take their employees' mental health seriously are likely to see a drop in recruitment rates as their reputation among potential employees decreases.
6. Staying silent
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The next unspoken job rule Gen Z workers refuse to follow is staying silent. During meetings with their coworkers, it can feel intimidating to speak up and voice their opinions. Gen Z is known to have outside-of-the-box thoughts and trying to explain them to an older crowd may feel a bit bizarre.
Despite these initial fears, Gen Zers muster up the courage to voice their opinions out loud. Because, unlike generations before them, Gen Z was taught at a young age that their voices do matter. Not wanting to stay on the sidelines, many are taking up the mantle and being unapologetic in their opinions.
In some instances, this can be great, as these combined ideas make way for greater profit. On the flip side, Gen Z's brutal honesty might leave some employers feeling perplexed and a little bit offended.
However, if companies allow for that level of open discussion, what they'll find is that Gen Zers can be quite dedicated in their work, doing their best to contribute and keep the company afloat.
7. Abiding by a strict dress code
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Gen Z workers refuse to abide by a strict dress code. They love to dress up and look fashionable, but let's face it, wearing a suit and tie every day can be a bit boring. And in some instances, dressing in a suit and tie doesn't make much sense in the work environment. For instance, if an office is cold, wearing dresses wouldn't make much sense. On the flip side, if an office gets hotter, then wearing a stuffy tie can make employees lose concentration and grow frustrated due to their discomfort.
And there's more to the conversation than discomfort, as diversity should also be considered. According to the Pew Research Center, Gen Z is the most diverse generation. As a result, there are additional clothing styles that some religions or ethnicities choose to wear on a day-to-day basis.
Knowing this, it makes sense why Gen Z workers refuse to follow the strict dress codes that some companies require. Not only doesn't it make sense, but it also might be a bit of a dilemma for those who come from different backgrounds.
8. Communicating after hours
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Another unspoken job rule that Gen Z workers refuse to follow is communicating after works hours. Though it might sound cold, Gen Z doesn't want to be on call all day, every day.
Though Gen Z likely doesn't have kids, they do have partners, friends, and family members who depend on them to show up after work. Because of this, Gen Z prefers to cut off all contact after hours and only respond to three in-the-morning emails they receive once they've clocked in and had their coffee.
Employers might get upset about this type of 'selfish' behavior, but it ends up working out in their favor. According to the Journal of Management and Financial Sciences, research shows that a good work-life balance actually promotes productivity because happy employees are more self-motivated.
9. Staying in roles that are unfulfilling
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The next unspoken job rule that Gen Z workers refuse to follow is staying in unfulfilling roles. Most people are taught that they must work hard even if they feel like their job makes them miserable deep down inside. This is why people will stick with companies for 40 plus years without battling an eyelash. In their eyes, they feel like they don't have much of a choice.
However, Gen Z is slowly starting to change all that. Nowadays, Gen Z has zero issues with leaving a job if they feel their needs aren't being met. Between the ages 18-26, 46% of people said that they would rather be unemployed than unhappy, according to ADP Research. Compare that to 28% of those aged 40-58 and the difference is clear.
10. Showing up at the office everyday
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One more unspoken job rule that Gen Z workers refuse to follow is showing up at the office every day. It might be bittersweet for the older generation, but the newer generation hates going to the office.
You really can't blame them when considering how much they save on gas and time. Not having to wake up super early, Gen Z can do their work feeling well-rested and at ease. Moreover, since they don't have to deal with the infamous controlling boss, they'll feel more confident when turning their assignments in on time. All of this combined adds to their overall well-being and contributes to making work-life balance a lot easier.
A study from Scoop Technologies and Boston Consulting Group backs this up, finding that companies that offered remote work saw revenue growth of 21% compared to 5% for in-office work. This is why companies should encourage hybrid work or try remote work for a year. They might find that this saves them additional costs and boosts productivity, which is always a plus.
11. Enduring disrespect
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This is why Gen Z workers refuse to follow the unspoken job role of enduring disrespect. Unlike the previous generations, this generation has zero issues with telling people off or quitting on the spot.
In their company's eyes, this might seem like an overreaction. Why rage quit just because of a little comment, right? However, it's important to understand that people spend a good portion of their lives working. Jessica Pryce-Jones, author of "Happiness At Work," asserts that the average person spends nearly 100,000 hours at work during their lifetime.
This is why respect and decency are extremely important in the workforce. After all, nobody wants to clock in dreading the day ahead.
12. Working a rigid 9-5 schedule
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Finally, Gen Z workers refuse to follow the unspoken rule of working a rigid 9-5 schedule. In May of 2024, Upwork surveyed 1,070 Gen Zers and found that half of them reported doing freelance work or planning to do freelance work in the future. Though it might come as a shock to some, it isn't that surprising to those who've studied Gen Z closely. Gen Z likes to do things on their own terms. As a result, it's unsurprising to see that Gen Zers are refusing to clock in at nine and stay until five.
In Gen Z's eyes, they'd be wasting their day away when they could be focused on their passions or relationships with others. Though this may not sit well with traditional companies, it could be a sign that offering flexibility to employees is the best course of action.
Not only does it better cater to their needs but it helps boost happiness in the workplace, leading to better productivity in the workplace.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.