GEN Z WORKERS ACCUSED OF LACKING INITIATIVE BECAUSE THEY LEAVE OFFICE ON TIME
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean’s recent social media post has stirred up quite the debate about how Gen Z workers approach work.
In his post, the man noted, “This may upset some Gen Z but I find them lacking initiative and motivation in office. They start late and end on time, if not earlier.” This struck a nerve to many, with one commenter agreeing wholeheartedly, suggesting that the rise of AI might soon replace such “useless people that can’t work and yet demand big salaries.”
While other commenters pointed out, “every new gen that comes up is getting worse” and another jokingly added, “that’s why it’s called zzzz,” not everyone sided with his viewpoint.
Many Singaporeans online were not convinced that showing up early and staying late is the only measure of a good worker. Many defenders of Gen Z workers argue that efficiency and productivity should be measured by what gets done, not just how long someone hangs around the office.
One commenter quipped, “Perhaps they are more effective and productive than older workers?”
The debate spilled over into generational comparisons, with a millennial chiming in to note, “Majority of the people are like that…. not only Gen Z.” Another millennial added, “Not Gen Z but Millennial here. Start early, end early. Start late, end late. Only fair.”
Others criticised the Singaporean man who posted, saying, “What an old fashioned mindset!! You belong to the category ‘The longer you work the more hardworking you are.’ I once had a colleague who consistently worked overtime, but 40% of the time, he was slacking at work. Anyway, I am a millennial. No wonder Singaporeans are unproductive and unhappy.”
Another commenter pointed out that “times have changed,” noting, “The new generation is different, just as your grandparents and your parents’ generation were different from yours in their thinking and approach to work.”
“I think it’s a good move for the new generation to realise and understand that work should not take up a big part of life,” he added.
However, others who weighed punctuality and productivity noted that being punctual at work is important for office morale but that doesn’t mean when someone comes to work late, the person’s work is unproductive.
One commenter said, “Many people come early, chat, take long lunches, work overtime, and still end up unproductive.”
An employer who chimed in also stressed the need for accountability during work hours: “If people meet their deadlines and stay responsible, it shouldn’t matter when they start or finish.”
However, he pointed out that when it comes to lack of initiative and motivation, it is partly on how companies hire and manage employees. “In the past,” he mused, “junior job roles mostly followed top-down management styles, they just had to follow explicit instructions so it might be less apparent who are those who lack initiative.”
“All in all, I feel every generation has its slackers and its leaders, it’s just in contemporary times it’s harder to hide your slacking,” he added. /TISG
Featured image by Depositphotos
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2024-07-04T09:32:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd