Gen Z discussion: Is leaving work on time a bad work ethic?

Most of the time, those who come in early and leave work late are the ones labelled “hardworking” or “productive,” but does leaving work on time automatically mean someone is lazy or has a bad work ethic?

A Gen X employee who wrote to The i Paper’s work column to share her work dilemma appeared to think so.

After eight years with the company — including managing many Gen Z staff during the last five — she said the younger workers were funny, bright, and “hardworking for the most part.”

She said one generational difference she noticed is that, by 5:58 pm, “they start packing up their desks, and by 6 pm they are promptly out of the door,” adding that due to this, tasks are often left unfinished. “It drives me mad,” she added.

“I respect their confidence and the fact they are steadfast in what they will or won’t do but resent it too. Especially if it means that other members of the team end up picking up their slack. Where’s their work ethic?” she further said.

According to her, it was different in her time. “I worked all hours—weekends if needed,” she said. Leaving on the dot was unheard of, and doing so would get you odd looks from your co-workers and a “lack of commitment” remark from your bosses.

She shared that she once worked at a job that required her to clock in at 7 am and work until midnight.

“You would just do what needed to be done to get a project finished, and I would have never considered not doing it. It was part of the job!”

Asking for advice, she said, “How do I go about it? I feel awkward expressing this to them as I have heard them discussing how they ‘don’t get paid to do extra time’.”

Leadership coach Kate Waterfall Hill suggested a different way to approach the generational gap in working hours at work.

She noted, “When did it become okay to work late all the time? Why was that such a badge of honour? It became the norm in our generation (I’m 55), and it can be hard for people our age to change how we view and approach work.”

Instead of measuring how long people work in a day, she said, it can be helpful to look at their contribution and quality of work. /TISG

Read also: Gen Z discussion: Why workplaces are struggling to adapt to Gen Z expectations