Why Gen Z Won’t Tolerate Hustle Culture

allynitschke
3 days ago
2 min read

There was a time when the phrase “rise and grind” was plastered across office walls and LinkedIn posts. Hustle culture glorified long hours, burnout was brushed off as commitment, and exhaustion was worn as a badge of honour. But here’s the shift: Gen Z won’t play that game.

This generation grew up watching hustle culture destroy people. They’ve seen older colleagues sacrifice health and family for jobs that gave little back. They’ve seen parents burn out. They’ve seen companies promote “resilience” while quietly pushing staff to breaking point. And they’ve decided: not for me.

This doesn’t mean Gen Z isn’t ambitious. Quite the opposite. They want to work hard, but they want that effort to be purposeful, impactful, and sustainable. They’re asking: “Why should I burn myself out when I know I can deliver outcomes without killing myself in the process?” It’s not laziness, it’s intelligence. And it’s a wake-up call for leaders.

Leaders who still glorify busyness are sending all the wrong signals. “Always on” behaviour tells younger staff that boundaries don’t matter. Rewarding long hours instead of meaningful outcomes tells them you value sacrifice over smarts. And they’re not buying it. Deloitte’s 2024 survey revealed nearly half of Gen Zs would leave within two years if their wellbeing was compromised or their values weren’t respected. They have options, and they’ll take them.

What leaders can do to meet this shift:

Redefine what performance means. Focus on outcomes and progress, not presenteeism.
Model sustainable practices. If you send emails at midnight, you’re setting the wrong tone. If you never take leave, your team won’t either.
Create energy, not exhaustion. Build systems that protect recovery and balance, instead of rewarding those who grind themselves down.

The truth is, this shift doesn’t just serve Gen Z. It serves everyone. No one performs at their best when they’re exhausted. Engaged, energised teams are consistently more creative, more collaborative, and more loyal.

So, when Gen Z pushes back on hustle culture, they’re not being difficult. They’re showing us the future of performance. The question for leaders is: will you cling to the old badge of busyness, or will you lead in a way that sustains energy for the long term?

If you would like to book in a time to speak with Ally: CLICK HERE.

Ally Nitschke is a best-selling Author, an award-winning Thought Leader and Speaker. She has been working with leaders and as a Leader for over 20 years.

She is on a mission to change the way we communicate at work, to lean into those uncomfortable conversations and lead with courage.

Ally is a Keynote Speaker at conferences, delivers Transformational Programs & highly engaging workshops as well as provides Executive Coaching.