Culture Care #9 – Is Gen Z lazy?

Dear all,

This is one of the hot topics I mentioned in my previous newsletter “The Future of Work: Welcome to the Great Chaos!” — the generational gap, or rather:
“How can we better understand and manage the new generations?”

It’s the #1 issue HR directors and business leaders ask me about. In fact, it’s probably the most requested training I’m doing right now for managers — who, let’s be honest, often feel completely lost!

Indeed, managers seem to be hitting a wall: Generation Z.
And the feedback is usually the same:

“They don’t want to work!”
“All they care about is whether they can take time off!”
“They’re flaky, uncommitted… we just can’t rely on them!”

And then there’s the mystery of recruitment:

“We can’t even get them to come to interviews anymore!”

HR departments are pulling their hair out — because even when they do get someone in, candidates are asking about schedule flexibility and Friday afternoons off rather than about the job itself.

According to a recent survey by Ipsos for CESI (an engineering school in France), titled “How does Gen Z relate to work?”:

• 86% of business leaders believe Gen Z is truly different from the previous generation.

• 70% say it’s hard to understand their career aspirations.

• 49% find it difficult to help them grow within the company.

A real disconnect, as Ipsos’ Managing Director Brice Teinturier puts it — even calling it a “misunderstanding” between employers and young people aged 18 to 28.

LOST IN TRANSLATION?
Absolutely. We’re just not getting each other.

So let’s ask the question:

Is Gen Z really lazy? Are they “unmanageable”?
Or… have previous generations simply failed to understand that the entire relationship to work has changed?

Understanding Generational Differences: A Paradigm Shift

To fully grasp the current situation, let’s take a quick look back:

• Generation X (1965–1980): Loyal, autonomous, resilient. They grew up in a world where hard work meant stability and career advancement.

• Generation Y (1981–1996): The “Millennials.” They introduced the importance of purpose and work-life balance into the workplace.

• Generation Z (1997–2012): Ultra-connected, creative, and socially aware — but also pragmatic, skeptical of promises about social mobility, and seeking flexibility and immediate impact.

(Next up are the Alphas… but let’s leave that for another day.)

These are general trends and contextual insights — but let’s be clear: we cannot reduce an entire generation to a single personality type. Let’s not fall into the trap of stereotypes.

Focus: Who Are Gen Z — and What Do They Want?

Again, Gen Z is diverse and multifaceted, so we can’t make sweeping generalizations. But recent studies and surveys do highlight some common trends that help explain current workplace tensions.

Contrary to the clichés, Gen Z is not allergic to work.
But they refuse to sacrifice their lives on the altar of “work harder”.

Let’s understand where they’re coming from:

• They grew up in an unstable world: economic crises, climate change, a global pandemic. They know nothing is guaranteed.

• They watched their Gen X parents burn out and become stressed, overworked, and disillusioned.

• Many experience eco-anxiety or just anxiety in general — some even say they don’t want children because the future seems so bleak!

Result: they value the present moment and life balance.

Some key Gen Z trends:

• Purpose over pay: 62% say the meaning of their work is more important than the salary.

• Need for autonomy: They want trust and responsibility, not micromanagement.

• Flexibility is king: 54% prefer freelance or flexible work contracts (Upwork study). The idea of a 20-year career at the same company? Not appealing — it’s a dealbreaker for many.

• Committed, but selective: They want to work for companies aligned with their values — ethics, sustainability, inclusion.

• Work-life balance first: Over 80% of students see the job market as demanding, competitive, and stressful — and fear they won’t find balance (Ipsos for CESI, 2024). Ensuring well-being and a healthy work-life balance has become the #1 factor in choosing an employer.

A growing number of young professionals even say they don’t want to become managers — too stressful, too time-consuming. No thanks.

“OK boomers?”

Let’s stop expecting Gen Z to want the same things we did.
Trying to impose outdated codes of success or top-down management styles only makes them run the other way. And calling them lazy? That’s not just wrong — it’s damaging.

As Laurent Giraud, professor of HR management at IAE Savoie Mont-Blanc, points out:

“When media push the idea that an entire generation is lazy, it has real consequences. Psychology studies show that such stereotypes end up being internalized and can shape how young people see themselves.”

So… What Now?

Better Working with Gen Z Means Reinventing Management

By 2030, Gen Z will make up over 30% of the global workforce (and Millennials + Gen Z will make up 75%, according to France Travail). In other words: it’s time to rethink how we work — fast.

Rather than resist change, why not turn it into a strength?
Embracing diversity means learning to manage differently.

Here are a few tips for working better with Gen Z:

1. Be transparent and authentic: They’ll spot empty buzzwords a mile away. Be real.

2. Offer frequent feedback: Don’t wait for the annual review.

3. Create learning opportunities: They want to grow quickly and learn continuously.

4. Promote project-based work: Let them express their creativity through diverse, meaningful tasks.

5. Go for horizontal management: Rigid hierarchies are out. Collaboration is in.

6. Prioritize well-being and balance: Managers must actively create healthy, balanced workplaces.

The good news? These qualities aren’t just Gen Z-friendly — they’re essential for any manager or organization that wants to thrive in today’s chaotic world of work.

And let’s be honest: asking for authenticity, empathy, and alignment… isn’t that a good thing? (Rhetorical question — obviously, YES!)

Gen Z’s expectations aren’t unreasonable when you consider the world they’ve grown up in. And more than that — they’re showing us the way forward: toward more humane, horizontal, sustainable workplaces. And that’s exactly what we need in our BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible).

But Should We Give Them Everything They Want?

No — because “care” is based on reciprocity.

If Gen X is expected to understand Gen Z’s needs, Gen Z also needs to understand the constraints and challenges faced by their managers (often Gen X or Y). These managers are under pressure, juggling conflicting demands and often facing unrealistic expectations — all while trying to hold everything together.

Let’s not forget: 4 out of 10 managers are currently experiencing burnout.
So, dear Gen Z… take care of your managers too!

Work is a two-way street.
New generations must also learn to adapt, open up, and recognize that others have different codes and pressures. There’s a lot to learn from older generations: experience, expertise, resilience, discipline.

The Good News? Differences Can Be Strengths

As I often say to the managers I work with:
If you create the right framework — flexibility, clear communication, and purpose — you’ll see real engagement.

Gen Z will bring agility, creativity, tech-savviness, emotional intelligence — and a culture of care. All things that are sorely needed today.

The solution, as always, lies in dialogue.

By communicating openly, we can leverage everyone’s strengths to build workplaces that are not only economically sound but also creative, ecological, and sustainable.

So let’s make COMMUNICATION our main lever to bridge the generational gap. Let’s foster trust, mutual understanding, and connection.

• Host workshops, team-building activities, and 1-on-1 sessions with younger employees.

• Launch intergenerational projects between Gen X, Y, and Z.

• Use creative and collective intelligence techniques.

• Try mentoring — or even reverse mentoring!

In short: step out of your comfort zone.
Listen. Question. Challenge. Innovate. Co-create.

A little humility and adaptability — on both sides — can go a long way.

Resources and Workshops

I’ve designed a set of workshops and training sessions to help managers better understand and manage Gen Z — and to encourage intergenerational dialogue.

I’ve had some amazing experiences during these sessions: insightful, creative, and constructive.

Working with Gen Z requires adjustment — but it’s also an opportunity. Their worldview challenges our assumptions and drives us to build more agile, human, and sustainable models.

So rather than complain… what if we learned to harness their energy?

Do you have tips to share on this joyful reconciliation?

I’ve shared some resources below — enjoy!

Take care, dear community, and see you next month for a new Culture Care newsletter.
Until then, let’s stay open, connected, and positive.

Warmly,
Alice
Founder of Mojom
Creator of Culture Care