Is Gen Z’s apathy going to change the workplace once and for all?

Have you heard of the Gen Z stare? It’s the vacant look young people give you after you ask them a question, and kids are doing it everywhere. They don’t really care to interact with strangers, family members, or bosses in an enthusiastic or even engaged manner, and that sets them apart from every other generation, for better or for worse. 

Speaking broadly, Gen Z is not necessarily the striver generation that millennials were. They are far more likely to be content staying in the same position for years, putting in no more work than the bare minimum required to keep their job, and even that is pushing it. Some Gen Zers do far less than the bare minimum because they don’t see the point of working hard. They genuinely don’t think that hard work pays off, and don’t want to put effort into anything that doesn’t ultimately benefit them. They don’t want to make their company a bunch of money if they’re getting peanuts in return. They aren’t motivated by the satisfaction of a hard day’s work. They would rather put their energy into their personal projects than into their professional lives, and while that might not be the most future-forward strategy, it’s the one a huge chunk of young professionals are investing in. 

While some older employees hate how little Gen Z seems to care about their work, others are thrilled that they are not willing to bow down to their corporate overlords for a crumb of recognition.