11 Reasons Millennials & Gen Z Don't Care About Work
If they any kind of incentive to work harder, they would.
fizkes | Shutterstock There's a societal stereotype and misconception that young people are "lazy" and simply "don't care" about work, but there are a number of reasons why millennials and Gen Z, in particular, are discouraged about climbing the corporate ladder or making their jobs their entire lives. For older generations who made the intentional decision to hyper-focus on work, there were clear incentives — extra pay, respect, career growth — that ensured their extra effort and time was worth it.
However, in today's corporate world and in this economy, young people don't have that same luxury. Oftentimes, they're overworking themselves with multiple jobs, trying to secure a stable income, or attempting to protect their job security. There are numerous reasons millennials and Gen Z don't care about work to the same degree as their older peers, but it's not because they're lazy or entitled; in fact, there's a much more nuanced image that describes their struggles.
Here are 11 reasons millennials and Gen Z don't care about work
1. They're more invested in their personal lives
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According to Johns Hopkins University, Gen Z and millennials are prioritizing their personal lives, identities, and work-life balance to a higher degree than most of their older peers, setting intentional boundaries like refusing to do work at home and choosing less demanding careers.
It's not that they don't care about work, productivity, or their company success, they're just not willing to consistently sacrifice their own emotional and physical well-being for the sake of an employer that doesn't pay them a liveable wage or support them in taking care of their well-being.
Of course, both of these generations have the freedom to make that choice. If employers and companies were to truly encourage workers to put in more hours or grow incredibly invested in their work, they would have to shift to accommodate the new values of young workers in the office.
2. They can't afford basic necessities
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Almost half of American workers are struggling to afford basic necessities like housing costs or groceries, according to data from the Urban Institute, many of whom are young people entering the workforce and struggling to find their footing amongst their looming student debt and rising costs.
The same traditional track to success — higher education, entry-level jobs, and climbing the corporate ladder — are no longer paying out in the same way for younger generations as they were for boomers and Gen Xers. So they're not just stuck not being able to afford their bills, many have hundreds of thousands of dollars of student debt that's impossible to tackle without financial stability.
For millennials and Gen Z, there's hardly an incentive to work hard or do more than the bare minimum for a company that's not giving them the freedom of financial comfort at home, which is why so many have adopted workplace trends like "coffee-badging" and "quiet quitting" to protect the peace they do have control over while on the clock.
3. Even raises and bonuses aren't enough to afford larger investments
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While baby boomers and Gen X could work hard and climb the corporate ladder to secure a six-figure salary that gave them to make larger investments — starting a family, buying a house, going on more vacations — that same salary isn't cutting it anymore. In many cases, it's just enough for young people to afford living expenses, general purchases, and basic necessities.
So, what's in it for Gen Zers and millennials, when they make the choice to sell their soul to a company, work long hours, and climb the corporate ladder? Simply to make a living? To give up values like work-life balance, personal well-being, and mental health that they prioritize more in their professional careers than other generations?
It feels like a losing battle, which is why many young people are making the choice to prioritize these values over things like compensation or career growth, yet are simultaneously ridiculed for being "lazy" and "unmotivated" in their careers.
4. They prioritize their mental health
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While baby boomers were raised in a "hustle culture" that encouraged them to dismiss and "push through" their mental turmoil, younger generations are far more open about dispelling mental health stigma and truly looking out for their own well-being. If that means taking a step back from work and setting boundaries, they're willing to do so.
When it comes to workplace conversations, they're also more likely to ask for mental health accommodations, often in ways that can be misinterpreted by older workers as "laziness" or "entitlement."
Many of the reasons millennials and Gen Z don't care about work have nothing to do with their employers or teams — despite being occasionally misunderstood and sometimes offensive to their leadership teams and older co-workers — and everything to do with their personal well-being and lives.
5. They don't agree with 'family-style' offices
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Many Gen Z and millennial workers are open to making casual connections and friendships with their co-workers, but when it comes to feeding into the "family-style" office culture many leaders — often, unintentionally — use to overwork their teams and craft a misguided sense of obligation amongst workers, they're not interested.
Prioritizing work-life balance means choosing to leave work in the office. They're not going out for drinks with their teams after work, taking on unnecessary obligations to support their "family" in the office, or overworking themselves out of guilt for a struggling peer.
6. They're stuck in jobs without purpose
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Many younger generations of workers are craving a sense of purpose in their jobs, looking for workplace cultures that align with their personal goals, values, and beliefs. However, especially with their shifting values compared to more traditional older generations, it's become increasingly difficult for them to find the right fit.
Some even suggest that they're willing to put in more hours and effort in jobs with meaning and purpose, but because they're stuck in jobs without those things, they're labeled as lazy or entitled for doing the bare minimum.
7. They don't feel respected
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According to a Resume Builder survey, more than 40% of Gen Z workers have felt disrespected at work on a regular basis, experiencing workplace bullying and harassment at the hands of older co-workers, especially within in-person office environments shifting away from online and hybrid schedules.
They're being subjected to a great deal of misguided stereotypes that don't just discourage them to go the extra mile at work, but also isolate them from a healthy workplace culture that boosts self-esteem, productivity, and well-being.
8. They're struggling with chronic stress
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Data from the American Psychological Association reveals that the majority of young Gen Z and millennial workers are dealing with chronic stress, often stemming from their professional aspirations and career. Not only does this consistent and regular stress affect their emotional and physical well-being, it discourages them from overworking themselves more in their careers.
They'd prefer to set clear work boundaries and expectations than continue to dismiss their mental health and stress struggles for the sake of an employer that's not guiding, supporting, or accommodating their needs.
9. They're not receiving great feedback
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One of the reasons millennials and Gen Z don't care about work is because they're not being offered constructive feedback on how to grow. When they are given advice or guidance from older leadership teams, it often falls in line with their own traditional values, not the kinds of motivation and clarity young people need to succeed.
Of course, that's the job of a leader at the end of the day — to accommodate, guide, and support their teams in the ways they're most receptive to. Many Gen Z and millennial workers are stuck in this cycle of doing work, having their work ethic misunderstood, and not getting consistently constructive feedback from their bosses to grow.
Especially in demanding corporate spaces, where feedback is needed but consistently under-delivered, according to a Culture Monkey analysis, young people can feel discouraged to go the extra mile, when they're not being supported and led by leadership.
10. They don't have long-term career aspirations
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The majority of Gen Z and millennial workers are more interested in "descending" the corporate ladder than overworking themselves with little recognition or compensation in return. It's one of the reasons they don't care about work to the same degree as their older counterparts. Even when they do put in more hours and effort, they're met with more projects and stress, instead of more job stability, balance, and money.
Of course, putting in occasionally long hours and more effort than the bare minimum is simply how you game the corporate world. But for Gen Zers and millennials, who prioritize work-life balance, staying in a lower ranking position is the best way to protect their well-being.
11. Their promises for success were left unfulfilled
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While baby boomers and Gen X workers were able to find financial comfort, job security, and growth by taking the "traditional" route to success with sacrifice, higher education, and saving, many young people haven't had the same privileges and opportunities.
Many of those who went to college are grappling with student debt without many job prospects, unable to find an entry-level job that pays a liveable wage or accepts candidates without a sleuth of experience. It's nobody's specific fault, as many older parents encouraged their kids to follow this path because it worked for them.
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.
