What the 'lazy girl job' trend says about Gen Z's mental health

Working a "lazy girl" job doesn't mean Gen Z workers are slacking off. Rather, they're rejecting hustle culture for well-paying, flexible jobs that end right at 5 p.m., allowing ample time for leisure. Should the rest of the workforce be taking notes?  

First coined on TikTok, the "lazy girl job" has joined "quiet quitting" and the Great Resignation as a new workplace trend led by Gen Z employees. But is the youngest demographic in the workforce actually abandoning their work ethic, or simply shifting their expectations around work and wellness? 

"This trend is an oversimplification of a significant shift in workforce mentality," says 26-year-old Jordan Lintz, the founder and CEO of marketing agency HighKey Enterprises. "I don't believe anyone is seeking an 'easy way out,' but are instead valuing different aspects of work-life balance that previous generations may not have been able to prioritize enough." 

Read more: What Gen Z expects from managers

While the movement has been largely misconstrued as a lack of ambition on younger talent's part, Lintz sees it as just the opposite. The rejection of traditional norms has nothing to do with not wanting to work for their careers, he reiterates, but rather points to their creativity and willingness to challenge the status quo on what does and doesn't work to further their professional goals.

"It's important to recognize that the traditional model of success — and by that, I mean climbing the corporate ladder from bottom to top — isn't the only valid or desirable path anymore," he says. "Our generation prefers to create our own ladders, so to speak, founding startups, launching brands, and even disrupting industries." 

Still, Gen Z spends 12% more of their time on LinkedIn Learning building their hard skills compared to the average person, according to LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report, and 76% of Gen Z-ers see upskilling as key to their career advancement. In fact, 67% of Gen Z-ers want to work at companies where they can learn skills to "advance their careers," according to the National Society of High School Scholars. And it's working: Young workers got nearly a 30% average raise from changing jobs in the last year, according to the Bank of America Institute.

While pursuing professional success on their own terms, "lazy girl" workers are also focused on the change they want to see in their personal lives, too,  says Jamie Aitken, VP of HR transformation at performance management solution Betterworks. 

Read more: Gen Z's DEI focus clashes with reality of culture wars

"The trend essentially ties back to the burnout culture that can negatively impact productivity, performance and well-being," she says. "What these lazy girls or quiet quitters are really saying is they don't want to be part of workplace cultures that are characterized by burnout, stress and overwork. And who does?"

For  younger generations, more than those that came before them, that means more flexibility: 77% of Gen Z employees prioritize a work-life balance when considering a new work opportunity, according to data from McKinsey. And Gen Z is the most likely generation to have either left or considered leaving a job because their employer did not offer a feasible flexible work policy.

"[Gen Z] is not content with merely being workhorses," Aitken says. "They want to thrive, grow and also live fulfilling lives outside work. During the pandemic particularly, we learned that there was more to life than work and that having some balance is actually a good thing for everyone's mental health." 

While the pandemic took a significant toll on Gen Z's mental health, it enabled them to open up about their challenges: just  45% of Gen Z workers would describe their mental health as "excellent" or even "good," according to the American Psychology Association, but 87% of Gen Z young adults feel comfortable talking about mental health in general and 63% feel comfortable opening up about their own mental health struggles.

Read more: Boomers, millennials and Gen Z all disagree on the best work arrangements — can employers find middle ground?

"Our generation isn't afraid to prioritize mental health," Lintz says. "Even if it means going against established norms. There's no settling for less, and in my opinion, this isn't a detriment but rather a positive shift that's likely to lead to healthier, more productive work environments."

If employers want to retain their young talent, they'll have to fully understand and embrace this new generation of "lazy" workers, Lintz says. Unlike other workplace fads like quiet quitting and the Great Resignation, which were tied to labor trends, this one won't be a passing craze.  

"The idea of setting boundaries and prioritizing personal needs is not just a trend," Lintz says. "It's a fundamental part of how Gen Z views work. To attract and retain this pool of talent, companies will have to adapt their policies and work culture accordingly."