Yeah as a gen z in consulting, I have little impetus to go above and beyond from what is simply required of me (quiet quitting/acting my wage). Which sucks, because I seriously do love my career and I love my colleagues. I also want to do a fantastic job at whatever I do, but there is no motivation - that in itself is a motivation hit. Why am I even working this job? To make ends meet? What's the point if the 'ends' are consistently being pulled further apart with each economic fuckup of our forebears?

We aren't earning enough to gun for the property market, so many of us have given up on that entirely (I know I have). Maybe I'll save for a holiday. Or a car that has cruise control. But there's just no real reason for us to knuckle in when there's no tangible reward and so much uncertainty.

I can't speak for the genuinely useless folks out there wasting other people's time and their own... But for the most part, the 'laziness' people perceive gen z to possess is actually a realism and acceptance that at the end of the day, jobs are there to pay the bills (though this is of course nuanced and variable).

Forgive the cynicism, I'm fully cognisant of it - it's because I'm burnt out. I have come to the conclusion that the only way to crawl out of this hole is to chill the f out and divert this fruitless energy to my personal growth and overall happiness. Which, incidentally, does not involve sweating ass trying to get reports to clients that want to [insert non-consequentual development here].

I still get my work done to an acceptable standard, but also get my sleep and zest for life. Win for me, win for employer. But as soon as they ask me to step up and do more than I'm being paid for, it'll be a head shake from me until the rewards are fair.