Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, has often been praised for their “tech-savvy nature and creativity.” But alongside these so-called “strengths” come criticisms, some of which paint a clear picture.

One commonly known concern is the lack of motivation among Gen Z when it comes to traditional work. Let’s face it half of high school students have yet to even land their first job, and when they are employed, they often spend half of their shifts on their phones, complain about their manager being too demanding, and gripe about rude customers. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were the ones in the back of class saying they’ll never use what they’re learning in the “real world.”

Once high school students land their first job, they struggle to disconnect from their phones, spending much of the shift buried in them. Complaints about managers being “too harsh” and customers being “rude” have become common excuses. Behaviors like this raise concerns about whether they lack common sense or simply the ability to handle a traditional job. There are constant social media rants about how work is “too hard” or how they purposely get orders wrong because they don’t feel like doing it. Is it really that difficult to take your eyes off your phone for an 8-hour shift?

Then there’s the whole work ethic debate. Some teens barely clock 10 hours a week yet still complain about low pay. It’s like what did they expect? They spent most of their shift in the break room, lost in a deep dive of drop-shipping tutorials. Sure, not every Gen Z worker fits this mold, but it’s hard to ignore the growing trend.

But here’s the thing, maybe it’s not just about laziness. Maybe it’s about how work itself is changing. Gen Z grew up in an era where remote work, content creation, and entrepreneurship are real, viable career paths. They see people making money on YouTube and Instagram, and honestly, traditional jobs probably seem outdated to them. Why work a miserable shift when you could be your own boss?

Still, that doesn’t mean professionalism should go out the window. At some point, no matter how much the world evolves, basic job skills—like communication, responsibility, and showing up ready to work will always matter.

So yeah, some criticisms of Gen Z’s work habits might be fair. But dismissing them entirely ignores a bigger truth: they aren’t avoiding work, they’re redefining it.