8 Reasons Gen Z Are Often Fired and Struggling to Keep a Job

While the youngest Gen Zers are making their way through middle school, the older members are finishing college and finding their first jobs—or not finding jobs at all, as Gen Zs are often laid off and struggling to keep a job.

According to data reported by Intelligent.com60% of employers have fired Gen Z employees in the past year. Gen Z is often criticized as a generation that lacks motivation. But what is perceived as a deficit of ambition may actually be a self-protective measure.

Gen Zers are hesitant to commit to a business system that offers them very little security. The underlying reasons Gen Z get fired and struggle to keep a job has less to do with their work ethic and more to do with their mindset towards company culture.

Here are 8 reasons why Gen Z are often fired and struggle to keep a job

1. Economic uncertainty

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Gen Z came of age in an era of economic and political uncertainty. Seam The Pew Research Center reportedGen Z was set to find its way in a strong economy with record low unemployment rates, and then the whole world changed. The onset of a worldwide pandemic completely transformed the social, political and economic landscape, and Gen Z became a generation on the precipice of great uncertainty.

Gen Z was hit hard by the economic instability caused by the pandemic. A 2020 survey by the Pew Research Center found that half of the oldest members of Gen Z, who were between the ages of 18 and 23, reported that they or someone in their household had lost a job or taken a pay cut due to Covid-19.

Four years later, Gen Z is still feeling the effects of the acute economic instability. The job market has changed rapidly, and Gen Z is doing their best to keep up. Promises of job security don’t hold up the way they did for previous generations, especially boomers, many of whom have pushed back their retirements, leaving little room for younger generations to climb the corporate ladder.

While Boomers complain that Gen Z doesn’t want to work, the economic reality they inherited has put them at a severe disadvantage, which is one of the reasons why Gen Z are often fired and struggle to keep a job .

RELATED: 10 Things Boomer Kids Did Growing Up That Would Make Gen Z Cry

2. High expectations for flexibility at work

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Unlike millennials before them, who glorified the hustle culture only to face deep regret and a desire to climb back down the corporate ladder, Gen Z places a high value on job flexibility. They actually want work-life balance, not empty promises. They are looking for true balance and they are not willing to settle for less than they deserve.

Along with their expectations for flexible hours and remote working conditions, they seek to create lives that do not put work directly at the center. They don’t base their identities or self-worth around their jobs, which is a healthy mindset to have. More than previous generations, Gen Zers prioritize finding personal fulfillment outside of work.

As Morgan Sanner, a Gen-Z career expert, explained, “The job search shouldn’t also be a purpose search. When you’re looking for a job, you shouldn’t also be trying to find your identity.” Their pursuit of flexibility often means Gen Zers struggle to keep a job, but that’s not a reflection of their work ethic. Rather, it shows that younger people’s priorities are changing, and it’s up to companies to adapt accordingly.

3. Seeks a more dynamic environment than what is offered

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Another reason why Gen Z are fired and struggling to keep a job is that they are looking for a more dynamic work environment than what is being offered to them. Along with their desire to hold remote jobs, Gen Z wants to be challenged in a way that most jobs can’t or won’t provide.

ONE 2022 study from Current Psychology analyzed the differences in values ​​and attitudes between Gen X and Gen Z, and discovered that Gen X exhibited higher levels of resilience and Gen Z had higher levels of openness to experience and the pursuit of self-enhancement. The survey also found that Gen Z highly valued novelty and change, as opposed to maintaining the status quo.

These characteristics don’t necessarily fit well with conventional corporate culture, meaning Gen Z has a hard time finding work that matches what they want. The working world hasn’t caught up with Gen Z, so they’re often fired and struggling to keep a job.

4. Want jobs that align with their values

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Gen Z wants work that aligns with their values, which means they don’t hesitate to leave jobs that are unfulfilling. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey86% of Gen Zers say having a sense of purpose is important to their well-being and job satisfaction. The study noted that Gen Z is “increasingly willing” to reject employers whose values ​​don’t align with their own perspective.

In addition, 75% of Gen Z reported that they consider a company’s social impact and level of community engagement when looking for work. Environmental considerations are particularly high on the list of what Gen Z takes into account during the job search. Meanwhile, 62% of Gen Z said they have felt anxious and worried about climate change within the month the survey was conducted. Two in 10 Gen Zers have changed jobs or industries to find work that aligns with their environmental values.

It may seem like Gen Z often get fired or struggle to keep a job because they don’t care about their work, but in reality they care deeply, they just want their profession to match their political and social priorities.

RELATED: 3 Reasons Gen Z Workers Reject Corporate Jargon

5. Struggles with traditional hierarchies

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Gen Zers are often fired and struggle to keep a job because they find it difficult to fit into workplaces that have traditional hierarchies. They tend to feel frustrated with the way companies operate. Gen Z doesn’t tie their personal identity to their job, which means they don’t usually see eye-to-eye with older colleagues who want access to workplace status symbols.

Part of the desire for flexibility on the job translates into a desire to move away from rigid decision-making processes and formal displays of professionalism to a more relaxed atmosphere. This incompatibility in how Gen Z approaches work compared to older generations manifests itself in various ways; for example, Gen Z doesn’t mind being 10 minutes late to work, while Boomers really do.

Gen Z’s attitude to work breaks the traditional mold. Although implementing change is not always a smooth process, it is necessary.

6. Prioritizing mental health over work

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Gen Z’s mental health issues have been well documented. Seam 2022 comparative analysis reportedGen Z showed higher rates of depression and anxiety than other generations, even before the pandemic started. Their need for emotional support exceeds what jobs generally provide.

Gen Z prioritizes their mental health more than any other generation, which is often why they escape stressful or toxic workplaces. Their focus on mental health means they will walk away from a job that doesn’t offer them adequate support.

While many companies may pay lip service to taking care of the mental health needs of their employees, they still put profits before people when it comes down to it. Gen Z are often fired and struggle to keep a job because they know their mental health is more important than anything else.

7. Having a cultural outlook that clashes with outdated workplace norms

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Gen Z’s worldview and cultural perspective often exist in conflict with outdated workplace policies. As the Pew Research Center noted in their 2020 article “On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future,” Gen Z is on the “cutting edge” of America’s changing racial and ethnic makeup: 52% of Gen Z are non-Hispanic white, and one in four is Hispanic; 14% of Gen Z are black, 6% are Asian, and 5% are another race or two or more races.

As of 2020, Gen Z were more likely to be enrolled in college and have a college-educated parent than Gen Xers or millennials were at the same point in their lives. Having a high level of education leads to being more open-minded, which Gen Z definitely is.

Gen Z places enormous value on progressive values ​​and policies that are truly inclusive. They will not stay in workplaces that do not center equity and diversity, which is why they are often let go from jobs or leave by choice.

8. Low tolerance for unfair treatment

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Along with their belief in true inclusion, diversity and fairness, Gen Z have a low threshold for being treated unfairly, which is why they often get fired and struggle to keep a job. They know their worth. They know there is no benefit in staying with a company that does not value them.

While previous generations may have kept quiet, Gen Z is more likely to raise their voice and demand respect. Whether it’s fighting discrimination or fighting unfair wages and labor policies, Gen Z won’t stay where they’re not valued, which is why they often struggle to keep a job.

RELATED: 10 old-fashioned Gen X values ​​that people in younger generations seem to have lost

Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango’s news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things related to the entertainment industry.