8 Reasons Gen Z Often Gets Fired & Struggles To Keep A Job
Gen Z knows what they want, and they won't settle for less than they deserve.
Vitaly Gariev | Unsplash While the youngest Gen Zers are making their way through middle school, the older members are graduating college and finding their first jobs — or, not finding jobs at all, as Gen Z often gets fired and struggles to keep a job.
According to data reported by Intelligent.com, 60% of employers have fired Gen Z employees within the past year. Gen Z is often criticized as a generation who lacks motivation. Yet what's perceived as a deficit of ambition might actually be a self-protective measure.
Gen Zers are hesitant to devote themselves to a corporate system that offers them very little security. The underlying reasons why Gen Z gets fired and struggles to keep a job have less to do with their work ethic and more to do with their mindset toward corporate culture.
Here are 8 reasons Gen Z often gets fired and struggles to keep a job
1. Economic uncertainty
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Gen Z came of age in an era of economic and political uncertainty. As Pew Research Center reported, Gen Z was set to make their way in a strong economy with record-low unemployment rates, and then, the whole world changed. The onset of a worldwide pandemic completely transformed the social, political, and economic landscape, and Gen Z became a generation on the precipice of major uncertainty.
Gen Z was hit hard by the economic instability that the pandemic caused. A 2020 survey from Pew Research Center found that half of the oldest members of Gen Z, who were between the ages of 18 and 23, reported that they or someone in their household had lost work or taken a pay cut due to Covid-19.
Four years later, Gen Z is still feeling the aftermath of that acute economic instability. The job market has changed rapidly and Gen Z is doing their best to keep up. Promises of job security don't hold true in the way that they did for past generations, especially boomers, many of whom have pushed back their retirement, leaving little space for younger generations to climb the corporate ladder.
While boomers complain that Gen Z doesn't want to work, the economic reality they've inherited has put them at a serious disadvantage, which is one reason Gen Z often gets fired and struggles to keep a job.
2. High expectations for flexibility at work
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Unlike millennials before them, who glorified hustle culture only to face deep regret and a wish to climb back down the corporate ladder, Gen Z places huge emphasis on job flexibility. They want actual work-life balance, not empty promises. They're looking for true balance, and they're not willing to settle for less than they deserve.
Along with their expectations for flexible hours and remote work conditions, they're seeking to carve out lives that don't place work directly at the center. They don't base their identities or self-worth around their jobs, which is a healthy mindset to have. More than previous generations, Gen Zers prioritize finding personal fulfillment outside of work.
As Morgan Sanner, a Gen-Z career expert, explained, "The job search should not also be a purpose search. When you're looking for a job, you should not also be trying to find your identity." Their hunt for flexibility often means that Gen Zers struggle to keep a job, yet that isn't a reflection on their work ethic. Rather, it shows that younger people's priorities are shifting, and it's up to companies to adjust accordingly.
3. Seeking a more dynamic environment than what's being offered
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Another reason Gen Z gets fired and struggles to keep a job is that they're looking for a more dynamic work environment than what's being offered to them. Along with their desire to hold remote jobs, Gen Z wants to be challenged in a way that most jobs can't or won't provide.
A 2022 study from Current Psychology analyzed the differences in values and attitudes between Gen X and Gen Z, and discovered that Gen X displayed higher levels of resilience, and Gen Z had higher levels of openness to experiences and the pursuit of self-enhancement. The study also found that Gen Z placed high value on novelty and change, as opposed to maintaining the status quo.
These qualities don't necessarily fit well into conventional corporate culture, which means that Gen Z has a hard time finding work that matches what they want. The working world hasn't caught up with Gen Z, which is why they often get fired and struggle to keep a job.
4. Wanting jobs that align with their values
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Gen Z wants work that aligns with their values, which means they don't hesitate to leave jobs that are unfulfilling. According to Deloitte's 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of Gen Zers say that having a sense of purpose is important to their well-being and job satisfaction. The study noted that Gen Z is "increasingly willing" to reject employers whose values don't line up with their own perspective.
Additionally, 75% of Gen Z reported that they consider a company's societal impact and level of community engagement when they're looking for work. Environmental concerns are especially high on the list of what Gen Z takes into account during the job search. Meanwhile, 62% of Gen Z said they've felt anxious and worried about climate change within the month that the survey was conducted. Two out of 10 Gen Zers have changed jobs or industries in order to find work that's in keeping with their environmental values.
It might appear like Gen Z often gets fired or struggles to keep a job because they don't care about their work, but in reality, they care deeply, they just want their occupations to match their political and social priorities.
5. Struggling with traditional hierarchies
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Gen Zers often get fired and struggle to keep a job because they have a hard time fitting into workplaces that have traditional hierarchies. They tend to feel frustrated by the way that companies operate. Gen Z does not tie their personal identities to their jobs, which means they usually don't see eye-to-eye with older colleagues, who want access to workplace status symbols.
Part of wanting flexibility on the job translates into a desire to move away from rigid decision-making processes and formal displays of professionalism to a more casual atmosphere. This incompatibility in how Gen Z approaches work compared to older generations shows up in different ways; for instance, Gen Z doesn't take issue with being 10 minutes late to work, while boomers really do.
Gen Z's attitude toward work is breaking the traditional mold. While implementing change isn't always a smooth process, it's necessary.
6. Prioritizing mental health over work
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Gen Z's mental health struggles have been well documented. As the 2022 comparative analysis reported, Gen Z showed higher rates of depression and anxiety than other generations, even before the pandemic started. Their need for emotional support outpaces what jobs generally provide.
Gen Z prioritizes their mental health more than any other generation, which is often why they tap out of stressful or toxic workplaces. Their focus on mental health means that they'll walk away from a job that isn't offering them adequate support.
While many companies might give lip service to taking care of their employees' mental health needs, when it comes down to it, they still put profits before people. Gen Z often gets fired and struggles to keep a job because they know that their mental health is more important than anything else.
7. Having a cultural outlook that clashes with outdated workplace norms
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Gen Z's worldview and cultural perspective often exists in conflict with outdated workplace policies. As Pew Research Center noted in their 2020 article "On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future," Gen Z is on the "leading edge" of America's shifting racial and ethnic makeup: 52% of Gen Z are non-Hispanic white, and one in four are Hispanic; 14% of Gen Z are Black, 6% are Asian, and 5% are another race or two or more races.
As of 2020, Gen Z was more likely to be enrolled in college and have a college educated parent than Gen Xers or millennials were at the same point in their lives. Having a high level of education leads to being more open-minded, which Gen Z absolutely is.
Gen Z places immense value on progressive values and policies that are truly inclusive. They won't stay in workplaces that don't center equity and diversity, which is why they often are let go from jobs or leave on their own accord.
8. Low tolerance for unfair treatment
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Along with their belief in true inclusion, diversity, and equity, Gen Z has a low threshold for being treated unfairly, which is why they often get fired and struggle to keep a job. They know their worth. They know that there's no benefit to staying with a company that doesn't value them.
While past generations may have kept quiet, Gen Z is more likely to raise their voice and demand respect. Whether it's combatting discrimination or fighting against unfair wages and work policies, Gen Z won't stay where they're not valued, which is why they often struggle to keep a job.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.