Understanding Gen Z: Why they are hesitant to do the 9–5 grind

I have to look at what they get out of the tradition job. We need to understand this generation so that we can understand why they are hesitant to work a normal 9–5 job.

The oldest members of Gen Z are old enough to remember the Great Recession. They saw their parents lose their jobs. They saw their neighbors lose their houses; or they themselves lost their home. They saw and experienced the economic devastation that recession caused. They also didn’t see the benefits of the recovery.

From conception, they have known a world with the Internet. With that, all the side hustles and unconventional jobs that the internet has unlocked. They see their peers and others make millions on the internet. They see a more fulfilling life and a more creative life; freeing them of the grind that past generations bemoan.

This is not a stupid generation. Their parents, siblings, family; all of them complain about the 9–5 grind. They see their peers working these jobs and they see them unable to have stability. Every member of Gen Z knows someone who works incredibly hard, but are unable to get ahead in life. This messaging is only amplified by Social Media.

It’s easy to write off this generation as lazy or ungrateful. We are quick to tell them suck it up and join the rest of us. But when you have a generation observing the struggles of past generations, it is logical for Gen Z to create their own path. They just want what we older generations were promised. A home, a family, some freedom, and life better than our parents. That seems to be slipping away year by year.