Gen Z Gets Away With 7 Things At Work That Would've Gotten Older Generations Fired Back In The Day
Imágenes de unaihuizi | Canva Pro Gen Z gets a lot of flak for their behavior and overall approach to work. A lot of the criticism is baseless, but some of their older colleagues who would've been fired for the same things back in the day might have a point.
Gen Z acts very differently at work than older generations and has different expectations for their careers. Some of the things they do are so unprofessional that everyone else is left wondering how in the world they still have a job.
Older generations would have been fired for 7 things Gen Z does at work all the time:
1. Wearing clothes so casual they look out of place
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Gen Z seems convinced that they can’t get their work done unless they’re in comfy clothes. It’s understandable that previous generations would be upset about that when they spent years adhering to a strict dress code.
Technically, this isn’t entirely Gen Z’s fault. Casual clothes became normal while everyone worked from home during the pandemic and never really disappeared, even after lots of people returned to the office.
Still, it’s not something that older workers are comfortable with. They were taught to dress to impress, so Gen Z’s approach feels sloppy to them in a way that makes them wonder how much they really value their jobs.
2. Refusing to work any overtime
Overtime has always been controversial on some level because it’s not really anyone’s idea of a good time. But older workers usually accepted it as a necessary evil that could even lead to a promotion at some point since it gave them the chance to show off how devoted they were.
While Gen Z cares about career advancement, they aren’t willing to sacrifice their well-being for it. Research shows that working overtime does come with health risks that make their concerns valid. That doesn’t make it any less shocking when an older person hears a Gen Z colleague flat-out refuse to work overtime, though.
3. Taking a sick day for their mental health
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Different generations have very different opinions on when it’s OK to call in sick. Older folks tend to think they should at least try to show up unless they can’t get out of bed, but Gen Z is much more liberal with their use of sick days.
What older generations find the most surprising is Gen Z’s penchant for mental health days. For young people, this is an obvious necessity when they feel like they’re on the verge of burnout and don’t want to push themselves any farther.
But mental health was so stigmatized in the past that people would never admit to feeling too stressed to work. And if they did, there’s very little chance that their employer would be understanding about it.
4. Saying no to work that’s not their responsibility
When a Gen Zer is getting ready to start a new job, it seems like they must memorize their job description before their first day. They’re very quick to set a boundary and say they aren’t going to do work that’s not supposed to be on their plate in the first place.
Of course, this means telling a boss no, which older workers would never have done. They took on however much extra work they needed to keep everyone happy, even if it was super frustrating.
According to CEO Bruce Tolgan, it’s actually a good idea for workers to do extra work when it gives them a chance to learn that could benefit them in the future. Automatically saying no could have consequences people don’t even recognize.
5. Discussing their salary openly
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From asking what their salary will be in their very first job interview to making it part of their small talk with co-workers, Gen Z has made it abundantly clear that they have no qualms about discussing their income.
Employees do have the legal right to talk about their salaries, but it’s not always the wisest move. It’s nearly impossible for colleagues to not compare themselves in that situation.
When older generations started working years ago, that just wasn’t done. If someone did mention how much money they made, they’d probably find themselves facing an HR complaint. They don’t understand why the rules are different now.
6. Expecting their boss to earn their respect
Older generations learned to respect authority in all aspects of their lives. So, when they started working, it was only natural that they paid close attention to their company’s hierarchy and gave their bosses the deference they thought they deserved.
Gen Z is totally different. They’re much less trusting in general, but it’s an even bigger problem with their bosses. Just like new hires have to prove themselves on the job, Gen Z expects their boss to do the same thing to earn their respect. They never could have held a job that way back in the day.
7. Being unreachable after work hours
Gen Zers are big believers in setting boundaries, and one they aren’t willing to budge on is not answering any calls or messages from their boss once the workday is over.
This topic has gotten so much attention recently that some countries have actually passed laws that make it illegal for employers to contact their employees outside of work hours. One survey revealed that most Americans would like to see the same thing happen in the U.S.
But that just wasn’t done back in the day. If someone from an older generation got a call from their boss in the evening, they took it without a second thought. They were expected to be available around the clock for the person who signed their paychecks.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
