As A Gen Z, I’m Done Being Everyone’s Punching Bag

Gen Zs have been booked and busy! Didn’t you read the headlines that Gen Zs have managed to single-handedly shut down industries, casual dining and the concept of a 9-to-5 job? Everyone has very conveniently found the universal scapegoat in all domains –  the Gen Zs. People think of my generation as the paradox, the ones who are quiet quitting, or lazy slackers or the most common one: packed with a million mental health disorders. From memes and reels on social media, the conversation, or rather the critique, is widespread. As a Gen Z, I'm done being everyone’s punching bag. Here’s why. 

Gen Z And Work 

You will often hear managers, influencers and even senior industry veterans complain about how Gen Zs are the worst thing to ever happen to the corporate world. Palki Sharma said on one of her shows, ‘One in six companies don't want to hire Gen Z, according to a survey. Gen-Z is entitled, easily offended, and unable to handle feedback, companies say. 

I doubt how true that is. Delivering projects on time, doing in-depth research and coming up with creative, fresh solutions to tackle problems is the way Gen Zs work.

Millennials did everything their bosses told them to do, blindly, no questions asked. Gen Zs are curious, they question, and want to know the ‘why’  behind everything. Companies and seniors don’t actually take the time to understand how Gen Z is honest and not disrespectful. They want to do their work with honesty without impossible deadlines or seniors micromanaging them. Gen Zs like to love a life with a perfect work-life balance. No unnecessary overtime, no working extra on the weekends. They now know where to draw the line between their workplace and life. 

All of this, and companies will still drag Gen Z’s work ethic by calling them lazy or even disobedient. 

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Gen Z And Love

People are always commenting on how Gen Zs take time off from their careers to heal from their breakups. Gen Zs say that this time of break will help them recover from the end of a relationship and get back to work, being more productive and focused. Millennials think that this is a silly excuse to take off from work, while they peddle bizarre, toxic stories of how they showed up to work even when they were hospitalised. First of all, this toxic FOMO for work doesn’t need to be glorified at all; it is extremely counterproductive and unfair to set such unreal standards. Second of all, Gen Z are being honest and direct - which should be respected and normalised. It’s indeed better than cooking up false excuses or faking illnesses to take leave. 

Gen Z And Mental Health

While previous generations accepted poor work-life balance, Gen Z is prioritising the conversation around mental health. While many people often joke about depression, anxiety, stress or burnout, these are very real issues that are hard to battle through. I do believe that a balance will be reached where people do understand and are compassionate about such issues. The work Gen Z is doing – talking and normalising this – has been a need for all generations. It's only when the stigma is removed, people can open up about needing and seeking help. 

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From work-life balance to paying attention to our mental health to holding onto our relationships, Gen Zs are trying to do better than most other generations. Learning from the toxic standards set in industries, to breaking the cycle for a better, more efficient way of living, you should be thanking my generation. I really hope that Millennials try to understand Gen Z rather than ridiculing them. 

Image Credit: Freepik

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