Gen Z students ready to work—on their own terms

By Matthew Parrott

Generational differences sometimes cause friction in the workplace, something Gen Z students at Pittsburg State University say is on display in their interactions with bosses. Students and faculty agree that Gen Z has a reputation for poor work ethic and problem-solving skills.

The question for some is whether or not that’s a problem and who, if anyone, needs to change.

Daniel Stanley, a young worker said their bosses simply don’t understand the younger generation’s work habits. 

 “My boss would get onto me when I needed to take days off for a mental health day,” Stanley said. “They overworked me, and certainly did not pay me enough.” 

Jackson Adams, another young worker, said that those who do put in extra effort such as himself are recognized and appreciated for it.

“My boss recognizes that I have a very labor-intensive job and because of that, I think they are much more okay with me taking time off when I need,” Adams said. 

Stanley described his work ethic as effective—but he’s not going to do more than what is required of him. 

“I understand my own value and am not going to do any extra or outside work that I won’t be fairly compensated for,” Stanley said. “My boss doesn’t understand that.”

Jackson said his work ethic is flexible enough to take a break when needed. 

“Honestly, there are weeks when school piles up or something else gets pretty stressful, and so I’ll prioritize that and do less for my jobs,” he said.

Gil Cooper, who teaches communication at Pittsburg State University, said Gen Z doesn’t lack work ethic—it’s just different than what employers are used to. 

“Generation Z has a very different idea of working,” Cooper said. “They want a much greater work-life balance. Gen Z is much better at analyzing a copying data because that’s what they’re used to, so they have a much easier time doing analytical work.” 

Gil also said that Gen Z workers are not as accepting of criticism and don’t like workplace drama. 

“These workers don’t have nearly as thick skin, so when they are given constructive criticism, they see it as an attack on them” Cooper said. “They are also very non-confrontational, so they will tend to let their intolerances go and ignore them until it comes to a breaking point.” 

One theory for this lack of critical thinking skills was grade school education. Some say the current education system’s use of standardized testing does not let students use their creativity often. 

Kelyn Heardt, Pittsburg High School’s principal, said the school is employing new methods to fight this exact issue. 

“Students are expected to be 100% ready for the workplace by the time they are out of school, and that’s just not possible” Heardt said. “The teachers have weekly meetings where we talk about how we engage our students … and give them meaningful lessons.”