Dear Gen Z, stop complaining

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var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_55137439", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1031730"} }); ","_id":"00000181-6251-d590-a5f1-e2f3dabe0000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedUpon graduation, every high school senior despises that six-word question.

“What do you want to do?”

For Generation Z, also called Zoomers, that question has become harder and harder to answer. Though some have known exactly what they wanted to do since birth, others are still struggling to find their niche. But one thing all Gen Zers have in common is that they love to complain about it.

Due to the rise in remote and hybrid forms of work, the way the work-life balance operates has become more of a drag for young people and the many passionate dreams and aspirations they have.

For example, the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, reveals that it has been difficult to persuade his employees to head back to the office.

“I have been unsuccessful, despite everything I’ve tried to do, to get our people back to work,” Schultz said in an interview. “No, they are not coming back at the level I want them to … I realize that I’m an old-school person, and this is a different generation.”

But does this generational gap justify the lack of work productivity that has steadily been increasing? In a sense, it has become a personality trait to speak negatively of one’s job, merely seeing it as a money-making machine.

A Vox article observes, “American workers across various ages, industries, and income brackets have experienced heightened levels of fatigue, burnout, and general dissatisfaction toward their jobs since the pandemic’s start.”

Now, it’s more common for someone to see a Gen Zer complain about work dissatisfaction on TikTok.

Since the pandemic, many people have been on the hunt for exciting new jobs — many have taken this chance to change careers and start doing things that interest them. Though this is great, workers now have certain expectations and demand more flexibility in their jobs.

Gen Zers are leading in a desire to have more flexible work hours, making it their highest priority at 62%, compared to millennials at 60% and baby boomers at 47%, according to Bankrate’s job seekers survey.

Gen Z is looking for the best of both worlds: higher pay and flexible hours.

“After spending the last year or more stuck in their homes, a good number of American workers now expect to be on the move, searching for new employment,” said Mark Hamrick, a Bankrate senior economic analyst. “Pandemic-inspired changes, including the ability to work remotely and/or from home, have transformed mindsets and expectations for many workers.”

With the rise of the social media influencer lifestyle, entrepreneurship is more appealing than ever to the younger generation. The simple 9-to-5 office job is now viewed as archaic.

The mundane yet honest work is avoided by most Gen Zers. They attempt to achieve their dreams and goals yet forget to appreciate the past that led them there, such as office spaces that were once filled with the constant click of a typewriter or the tedious fact-checking process that is now a simple Google search away. All of these things have led the work industry to where it is today, and many take it for granted.

This sense of entitlement runs deep through this young generation. No matter where you are, give 110% to that job. If you wish to change careers, do it. Even the most boring and stale jobs can lead you to success if you are willing to see their potential. Your job is what you make of it, so stop complaining and do it.

Esther Wickham is a summer 2022 Washington Examiner fellow.

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