It’s no secret that when it comes to work, Gen Z has a very different approach compared to the generations that came before them. While millennials and Gen X entered a workplace dominated by hustle culture – a phenomenon that saw us all only too happy to overwork ourselves – for Gen Z, the culture is changing and the competitive, sacrificial dogmas of ‘the hustle’ are largely a thing of the past. In their place, there is a growing trend of self-care and boundary-setting.

The vastly different approaches between the two generations were highlighted in a recent TikTok video. It all began when Natalie Marie, host of the Demoted podcast, read out a listener email: “When asked to come in for an 8am meeting, my Gen Z new hire said, ‘Ugh, sorry; I can’t make it. I have a workout class.’ Should this be allowed?” she said.

Her response? “You just started this job. I don’t give a flying shit about your workout class. Also, an 8am workout class is too late. Work out at six, maybe seven? Right?”

TikToker Alexandre Evidente (@trekfit) then made a response video. “It was made very clear during the interview process that the working hours for this position is between 9am-5pm Eastern Time, and I am on Eastern Time. I made that very clear with HR because I have commitments outside of work.”

He went on: “OK, let’s just say I skip the gym. Two things. When can I expect you to reimburse me for my class and are you going to be paying me from 8am to 9am? Or at the very least let me leave at 4pm. Natalie if your answer to both of those is ‘no’ then there’s no discussion needed. I will see you at 9am today.”

Needless to say, the two vastly different approaches to work sparked a heated debate, with many younger workers siding with Alexandre, while others agreed with Natalie that young employees should be willing to make personal sacrifices for the sake of their careers.

It has since been revealed that Alexandre was not actually the original listener who had written into the podcast, but he was merely doing a ‘skit’ imagining a potential scenario. Natalie also spoke to BuzzFeed about the viral video, explaining that in the original email, the new hire had in fact previously been warned about the potential for 8am meetings.

Nevertheless, the fierce debate triggered by Natalie’s response to the email and Alexandre’s skit serves as a reminder that Gen Z-ers and millennials still can’t seem to agree when it comes to how they approach boundaries at work. While Gen Z is willing to put themselves first and say no, many millennials are evidently still gripped by the hold of hustle culture and feel the need to drop anything and everything for the sake of their jobs.

So, is Gen Z too demanding? Or does it simply aware of and willing to stand up for its rights? We spoke to Alice Stapleton, a career coach who specialises in coaching Gen Z and millennials, to find out.

Gen Z v millennials in the workplace

Studies and social media trends alike point to a changing cultural tide. In the last few years, Gen Z-ers have been embracing workplace trends like ’lazy girl jobs’, ’conscious quitting’ and ’bare minimum Mondays’. Each of these trends promotes a measured approach to work that prioritises boundaries and personal life above career.

And it seems that some older employers are struggling to adjust to Gen Z’s expectations. A 2023 study by Grant Thornton found that 51% of Gen Z-ers claimed it was “unreasonable” for employers to ask them to do training without extra pay. Similarly, 40% said that 10-hour days were unacceptable, while 31% said they would not consider working for a company that required outside-of-work training.

According to Stapleton, Gen Z’s changing attitudes are a reaction to what they’ve seen happen to their millennial counterparts. “Gen Z has seen the impact that overworking can have and is prioritising health and personal lives to avoid the burnout they witness in the older generations,” she says. “I get the sense that they understand there is more to life than work, and their overworked millennial managers who are late home to their families are good reminders of why this is.”

Plus, Gen Z-ers are, quite simply, younger. “It’s also an age thing,” she explains. “Gen Z-ers are in their very early 20s. Of course their personal lives are going to be a priority at this stage of their life.”

Realistically, doesn’t work always require a little sacrifice?

For Stapleton, having both a strong career and a healthy personal life is all about balance – and sometimes that can mean both employers and employees making sacrifices.

“In any relationship, there often needs to be compromise,” she tells us. “This goes for our relationship with work, too. It’s a two-way street though. Compromise means that both parties come to a win-win agreement, where both sets of needs are met. This often requires negotiation, which can take time.” 

She adds: “What we see in the TikTok video is a power battle. Both feel they are in the right and have rigid expectations and beliefs about what’s ‘right’, which is not always the case. Most situations need boundaries to be respected, along with an appreciation that, sometimes, there needs to be wiggle room from both sides.”

How do you strike a balance? Are you being too demanding in your job?

So, when is the right time to push back against over-demanding bosses and reiterate your rights as a worker? And when is the right time to make a sacrifice?

The first step is to ask a few questions. Stapleton says: “I’d be asking questions like, ‘What the meeting is about? What value do they hope I will bring to that meeting? Can it be held at an alternative time? Is it essential I attend? Is there a tight deadline related to the outcomes of the meeting?’” 

Once you get a better sense of the importance of your employer’s request, you can make decisions about whether it’s appropriate for you to request a change in return.

“Based on their responses, I may negotiate an alternative time, stating: ‘I have a personal commitment that can’t be changed,’” she suggests. “After all, if you had to take your children to school then you wouldn’t be able to make it anyway.” 

In some cases, you can choose to make a one-off sacrifice for the good of the company. “If it was evident the meeting was a crisis call, with a tight deadline relating to a vital client, and it was perhaps a one-off or at least something that didn’t happen that often, I’d be inclined to perhaps prioritise the meeting on this occasion,” she says. “It really does depend on the situation and the people involved.”

At the end of the day, work does sometimes require a little hustle here and there – but that doesn’t mean you have to subscribe to hustle culture. Perhaps the best way forwards is to strive to find a healthy, considered balance between the two generational approaches.

Images: Getty