Fact-check: Is Gen Z really lazy? What the research shows
Generation Z is considered to be demanding, unreliable or even unwilling to work. However, studies and job market data paint a different picture. Why the cliché persists nonetheless.
The claim that Generation Z, or Gen Z, is lazy frequently appears in debates about the younger generation. Some argue that four-day weeks, work-life balance, or sabbaticals indicate a lack of commitment to work among young people. However, is this image of Gen Z truly accurate? On International Youth Day (August 12), a closer look at the data shows what labor market research has to say about this accusation.
Enzo Weber, a labor market researcher at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), explains, "Indeed, the stereotype of Gen Z's unwillingness to work is widespread. According to all hard indicators we have, this is not the case." His findings are based on several developments, suggesting that the image of young people taking sabbaticals or working only three days a week does not accurately describe Generation Z.
The employment rate among young people remains as high as it has been for decades, their working hours are similar to those of older workers, and they do not change jobs more frequently than previous generations. Weber concludes, "The perception of Gen Z as either on sabbatical or working three days a week is not an accurate portrayal of this generation."
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
