Gen Z: Mastering the Art of Selective Productivity
April 2023
Step aside, haters. It's time to pop the bubble of misunderstanding that's engulfing our Gen Z comrades. Labelling us as the "laziest" generation? Oh, please. It's like trying to compare a dolphin's swimming prowess to a cheetah's sprint. Sure, they both move, but the landscape is radically different!
Digital Ninjas in Their Native Habitat
Look at us Gen Zers—wunderkinds born between 1997 and 2012—We’ve been breastfed Wi-Fi signals and tucked into bed with smartphone lullabies. Our playground? The ever-expansive cyberspace. Our toys? Well, apps, platforms, and tech gadgets that would make a time-travelling 80's kid's brain explode.
Global Web Index reports 98% of Gen Z own a smartphone, and 26% report using their mobile devices for over 10 hours a day. Some call this addiction; Gen Z calls it "surfing the digital wave." The takeaway? We are not lazy; we’re just busy operating in a realm many have yet to fathom.
More than half of the members of Generation Z plan to look for a new job within three years. 40% of Generation Z plans to stay with an employer for less than two years vs. only 5% of Generation X.
Source: Meet Generation Z: The New High-Tech and High-Touch Generation of Talent
Work Ethic or Work Aesthetic?
Then there's this whole "work" thing. Apparently, Gen Zers don't like the 9 to 5 grind. According to a recent study, over 55% of 18-24 year-olds polled felt remote and hybrid work had a positive impact on their career. Laziness or a reimagining of the work-life paradigm?
Fun fact: In 2019, 46% of Gen Z members applied for an internship or a job via a mobile device. Really ties these two points up very nicely, doesn’t it?
Wellbeing Wizards and Self-care Sheriffs
Gen Z takes self-care seriously. There's no "toughing it out," no "keeping a stiff upper lip." If we’re stressed, we’ll talk about it, tweet about it, maybe even write a catchy TikTok song about it. Gen Z is the first generation to pull mental health out of society's shadows and into the harsh light of a Snapchat filter. And everyone stands to benefit from this new approach. In fact, a McKinsey report reveals that Gen Z reports the worst mental health of any generation. But rather than wilting under this weight, we’re chipping away at the stigma attached to mental health, one meme, and one group therapy session at a time.
So, What's the Real Deal?
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time you stopped mistaking change for laziness. This "selective productivity" isn't a sign that we are reluctant to put in the effort; it's evidence of our refusal to run the rat race designed by previous generations.
With our tech-savvy brains, flexible work values, and holistic approach to mental health, Gen Z isn't the laziest generation. We're simply a generation carving our path, doing the moonwalk away from traditions that no longer serve us.