11 Quiet Ways Gen Z Workers Get Revenge On Their Employers For 'Unfair' Treatment At Work
It may be controversial, but many of these revenge-fueled tactics are sparking change.
Fizkes | Shutterstock.com According to a Deloitte study, Gen Z's radically different values and perspectives are already sending "ripple effects" through our culture — from technology, to social issues, the workplace, politics, and consumption. Their desire to find meaning and purpose, while simultaneously challenging traditional stereotypes and stigmas, is crafting a new world for them to exist, but also butting heads with older generations who have solidified their place in the current environment.
This generational resentment and tension is most prevalent in the workplace, where Gen Z employees are advocating for their own needs and expectations whilst older generations actively push back. Frustrated with traditional ideas of work-life balance, "hustle culture," and career advancement, there are many quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work, which can be controversial and subtly antagonizing for their older counterparts.
Here are 11 quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for 'unfair' treatment at work
1. Quiet quitting
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Alongside the older generation's "hustle culture" mentality at work, going above and beyond out of loyalty for an employer, Gen Z's adoption of the "quiet quitting" trend is a stark opposition. Doing the bare minimum requirements in their roles, Gen Z workers simply do the work they're paid to do, refusing to "overachieve" without compensation or recognition for doing so.
Considering Gen Zers are more likely to prioritize work-life balance above all else in their professional lives, it's not entirely surprising that they're protecting their personal time and general well-being by refusing to take on extra stress, anxiety, or responsibility for little added benefit in the workplace. Even climbing the "corporate ladder" isn't enough to motivate them toward a rigid schedule or an overachiever mentality.
According to a survey from Gallup, this trend is more popular than people believe, with more than half of employees currently "quiet quitting" in the workplace, the majority being Gen Zers and millennials frustrated with working conditions, compensation, and unrealistic expectations from their employers.
2. Inflating their experience on resumes
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A ResumeBuilder survey found that over one-quarter of job seekers have lied about their experience on a resume or in an interview, with 20% of those being Gen Z candidates.
Considering the current state of the job market is tumultuous, especially for young workers trying to craft their adult lives and financial stability, it's not surprising that they're also not regretful about doing so, with 63% of these Gen Z candidates arguing they never suffered any consequences for lying about their experience.
By casually applying for other jobs and interviewing while still working their current job, lying on a resume can easily be one of the quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work. Not only are they likely using company time and resources to apply to others jobs and make connections to leave, they're subtly misleading other leaders about the work they're currently doing.
3. Taking time off
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Ironically enough, using their time off has become one of the quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work.
From using up all their sick time, to taking wellness days, and even scheduling vacations during busy times at work, using their time off isn't just a right, but occasionally an act of defiance against overbearing workplace cultures.
According to a PapersOwl survey, more than 27% of employees take unplanned days off using their sick time, even when they're not actually ill. Despite being controversial for traditional employees, many Gen Zers believe they have a right to use their time however they see fit, even if that means lying about being sick to stay home.
4. Coffee badging
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Coffee badging, one of the newest workplace trends amongst young workers, has become one of the quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work.
According to Benzinga, coffee badging is "when employees visit the office just long enough to prove their presence. After saying hello to some co-workers, getting a coffee, and swiping their badge, they return home to finish work."
With many Gen Zers starting their careers amid an uncertain work structure — adopting hybrid and remote routines — having to go back to an in-person office for a role they've already done from home can be disorienting.
Whether it's a defiance against rigid work structures, a way to prove to their employers that they're equally productive — if not more so — from home, or simply a unique and controversial way to prioritize their own personal well-being, Gen Zers aren't afraid to "coffee badge" at work.
5. Leaving work early
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Gen Z workers are increasingly concerned with setting and prioritizing work boundaries to protect their personal well-being and time, whether that means leaving work early to fend off burnout, setting limits with the extra work they take on, or scheduling wellness days during busy periods of the year.
While some leadership teams are comfortable with their employees taking time to themselves or leaving early when they need to, others feed into strict and rigid routines in the workplace. While baby boomers and many Gen Xers feel pressured toward loyalty in their jobs, Gen Zers collectively refuse to sacrifice their own well-being for a company that doesn't appreciate or compensate for their time.
By leaving work early, Gen Z employees combat unfair and unjust treatment by prioritizing themselves. While this defiant choice isn't always productive for their job stability, it can draw attention from otherwise detached leadership teams to their demands and concerns.
6. Not keeping work communication apps on their phones
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Making the deliberate choice to keep their work communication apps off their phone is one of the quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work, but it's also one of the boundaries they set to protect their personal time and well-being.
Rather than feeling anxious about checking their email or responding to a client outside of working hours, they deliberately set restrictions on their working hours, only logging in and working when they're expected to show up in the office.
According to a 2024 study on workplace exhaustion, more than half of workers around the world are struggling with burnout in their current roles. Without boundaries like this one, they feel constantly "on the clock," working to meet unrealistic expectations and workplace demands, even when they're not in the office.
7. Taking naps at work
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More than 30% of workers regularly nap during the work day, according to a survey conducted by Sleep Doctor. Despite being controversial, especially to overbearing and unjust employers, these quick naps in the middle of the day can actually boost productivity, happiness, and energy levels amongst employees, according to experts from the Mayo Clinic.
Gen Z is constantly battling accusations of "being lazy" and entitled in the workplace, especially at the hands of older generations like baby boomers, but engaging in behaviors like napping on the clock aren't always defiant gestures.
Gen Z workers prioritize hard work, work-life balance, and personal boundaries at work. They're not slacking off or choosing to escape work responsibilities, but pushing back against rigid and unhealthy work expectations.
It's companies and employers that need to shift, not employees. If accepting a 15-minute nap to boost productivity or encouraging employees to take their PTO is too far of a stretch, that's an institutional problem, not a discussion of worker laziness or entitlement.
8. Using company resources for personal endeavors
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Despite employment law experts' advice to steer clear of misusing company resources like a company car, phone, or software system for personal endeavors, many Gen Zers are subtly combating unfair workplace treatment by cheating their employer in this way.
According to the PapersOwl survey, 10% of employees have used a company resource in their personal time — driving to the grocery store in a company car, doing freelance work on a company laptop, or using work time to catch up with a friend.
Of course, these statistics aren't exclusively Gen Zers, nor is this a quiet trend all Gen Z workers are adopting. But many younger generations of workers are more likely to "cheat the workplace," rather than remain loyal under false pretenses.
9. Inflating their work hours
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Employees of all age groups are relatively bad at estimating the amount of hours they work in a week. But inflating work hours isn't always a deliberate act of revenge.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees tend to report longer working hours than they actually worked, especially when they're not tracking specific tasks. For people already working longer hours — more than 40 hours a week — they tend to inflate their time the most, sometimes by more than 20 hours a week.
However, one of the quiet ways Gen Z workers get revenge on their employers for "unfair" treatment at work is by overstating the amount of hours they're working in a day. Even if they're getting all their tasks done, they may track or bill more hours than they spent doing them.
While this a clear violation of many legal employment terms — essentially, it's "time theft" — it's still more common than many employers would like to admit.
10. Revenge quitting
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Experts from the Society for Human Resource Management characterize "revenge quitting" as an act of retaliation, where workers "quit intentionally to push back against toxic workplaces, limited career opportunities, career stagnation, unsupportive bosses, and unreasonable expectations."
Rather than "coffee badging" or "quiet quitting," Gen Z workers are outright quitting — putting their employers in compromising positions without notice of resignation to solidify their stance against unjust and inequitable workplace standards.
The principle is simple: why provide a common courtesy, like a 2-week notice, to an employer who doesn't value you as a human being, protect your well-being, or make compromises to protect you from burnout?
11. Advocating for accommodations and strict boundaries
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More than 22% of workers across the nation were disabled in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, yet workplace accommodations are still falling short at supporting their needs. To combat this unjust treatment at work, many Gen Zers are advocating for their accommodations without reservation as an equal act of defiance and self-advocacy.
Whether it's mental health accommodations, support with a chronic illness, or an altered time off policy to account for a physical ailment, Gen Z workers are tired of suffering in the name of company loyalty or "hard work."
To thrive in the workplace requires tailored support, and Gen Zers aren't afraid to advocate for what they need and push back against exclusionary and traditional workplace norms, even in controversial ways.
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.