I'm Grateful Gen Z is Redefining How They Work

The other day, a friend sent me a text, and after a week of running here and there, I remembered I hadn't responded. When I did remember, I felt a little guilty. Around the same time, another friend had yet to respond my text. I get it, people are busy. At that moment, I realized I could show myself the same grace I gave.

In today's fast-paced world, we feel pressured to be "always on" and connected. But I've started to appreciate a shift in society, mainly led by Millennials and Gen Z. This shift challenges the notion that always being available is necessary or beneficial.

A few decades ago, technology promised flexibility and efficiency. Today, the boundaries between work and home blur--with our smartphones giving us endless entertainment and engagement. As burnout rates climb and work-life balance no longer exists, younger workers are asking for things to be different, and they pretty much insist on it. This bold stance is a testament to their resolve to create new norms in the working world--happily prioritizing their mental health and well-being.

I'm grateful to learn from the new generation. The innovation of managing connectivity and availability represents a heartfelt change in how we think about work and relationships. Traditional business practices emphasize working long hours as a badge of honor. But, research shows the average worker is productive for about three hours out of the eight-hour workday. Workers report spending time on the job reading the news, checking social media, chatting with work friends, and even looking for a new job. With this understanding, Millennials and Gen Z support a working model that values health and wellness because they recognize the importance of not pushing people to a breaking point.

Read: How to Combat an “Always On” Work Culture

This balanced approach should extend into our personal lives as well. Social media might make you think the younger generations are always connected. But there is a growing trend towards digital detoxes, "no-phone" social interactions, and other practices that allow people to have deep and meaningful interactions with the world around them. They set boundaries such as turning off notifications after certain hours or on weekends and choosing to engage with social media selectively and intentionally.

As someone who coaches leaders and executives (and wrote the book, Anxiety at Work) I've learned that embracing these shifts means understanding the "always on" paradigm can actually be inefficient. Management gurus like Jay Shetty advocate for mindfulness and intentionality in business and all aspects of life. Mindfulness in leadership means recognizing employees who recharge are more creative and effective.

According to a recent LinkedIn study, 72 percent of Gen Z workers have quit a job due to inflexibility. Let that sink in. When people feel they have more control over their time, they are more likely to feel optimistic about their job and less likely to burnout--and they stay longer.

See, these younger generations are not demanding less work but defining a more innovative way to work. I am grateful to see Millennials and Gen Z push for new standards of "being available." They are laying the groundwork for a healthier, more sustainable way of life that all generations can benefit from in our increasingly complex technologically advanced world.

Leaders should embrace that this change isn't about accommodating younger workers' demands—it is about moving forward into a more balanced future that will make us all happier and healthier and give us time to be more grateful. I'd love to read your thoughts about a more flexible work world.

This article was firstly published on Chester Elton's LinkedIn.

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