"In reality, it is better understood as a collision of assumptions about what commitment looks like at work. Senior leaders came of age in professional systems where long hours were not just normal, but meaningful. Visibility equalled reliability and saying "yes" quickly signalled ambition. The intersection of visibility and intensity was the proving ground through which credibility was earned. Many leaders who now run teams internalised these norms so deeply that they feel self-evident."
"Gen Z do not reject effort or ambition, but they do question the design of work that relies on permanent urgency and implied availability. Gen Z are NOT lazy - they want successful business outcomes just as much as the generations that went before. But the balance of how this is achieved and what 'success' means, has shifted. Research consistently shows that Gen Z prioritise wellbeing, development and, importantly, a sense of purpose alongside pay,"
High-pressure, client-driven teams demand pace, responsiveness and endurance, while Generation Z expects firmer boundaries, wellbeing and control over time. The result is a clash of assumptions about commitment, with senior leaders valuing long hours, visibility and quick affirmative responses as credibility signals. Gen Z values outcomes, development, purpose and sustainable workload design, and rejects cultures dependent on permanent urgency and implied availability. Research shows Gen Z prioritise wellbeing and are more willing to leave unsustainably consuming environments. Leaders should replace unspoken norms with clear expectations, outcome-focused measures and sustainable intensity to integrate Gen Z effectively.
Read at Business Matters
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