More depressing than unemployment: The unspoken crisis of Gen Z at work

The old career pact is officially broken.

The traditional promise that once defined careers , work hard, and you’ll have your share of the cake, has quietly collapsed for many young workers. They have entered an economic system that no longer guarantees a stable life in return for their loyalty and commitment.

The numbers speak for themselves. The net disposable income of 18–29-year-olds has dropped by 10% in Europe since 2008, while the cost of living, rent, energy, transport, and food have surged across the continent. This reality, coupled with stagnant salaries and vanishing perks, means that even modest expectations for security are not being met.

This isn’t anecdotal. Reports from Eurofound and the OECD confirm that younger generations are increasingly “locked out” of wealth-building paths such as home ownership and pension stability. This economic reality fundamentally alters the motivation to work, shifting it from a long-term investment to a short-term transaction required for survival.

For tech billionaire Peter Thiel, this signals a foundational failure:

“Capitalism has ceased to function for the young.”
He provocatively warns leaders of the consequences:
“If you proletarize young people, don’t be surprised if they turn communist.”

This isn’t laziness, it’s a rejection of “obsolete work.”

Contrary to the typical stereotype of being lazy or entitled, Gen Z’s disengagement is a rational, experience-driven response to the jobs they are offered.

Many enter the workforce through automated, depersonalized recruitment systems that funnel them into rote, unfulfilling tasks,  often with no human contact, no mentoring, and no clear development path.  This isn’t a rejection of effort itself. It’s a logical refusal to invest in a system that has already broken its side of the deal.

Young workers today make a clear distinction between effort that leads to personal and professional growth, and effort that merely sustains obsolete, inefficient systems.

This cultural pushback is visible in social media trends like #QuitTok, #LazyGirlJobs, and #BareMinimumMondays, not as celebrations of idleness, but as visible protests against burnout culture and meaningless work.

As Ofcom’s 2024 report notes, these movements serve as digital coping mechanisms, allowing young professionals to build solidarity and signal their values in workplaces they feel alienated from.

Well-being is a non-negotiable job requirement.

For previous generations, work-life balance might have been a perk. For Gen Z, it is a condition of entry. Mental health is non-negotiable. They are unwilling to sacrifice their well-being for a system that offers diminishing returns and no longer guarantees a stable life.

And the data confirms the scale of this issue:

• 1 in 4 young Europeans believes their job actively harms their mental health (Deloitte EU, 2024).

• In France, nearly one in two young workers (46%) quits their first job within a year of being hired.

• Almost 1 in 5 Gen Z employees will leave a job within 6 months if their need for meaningful work and balance isn’t met.

This isn’t entitlement. It’s a defense mechanism. They refuse to sacrifice their mental health for an economic framework that has already failed them.

And they’re not wrong. The World Health Organization reports that workplace-related anxiety and depression are at record highs in under-30s across Europe.

The definition of a “good career” has fundamentally changed

The very concept of a successful career has been rewritten. The linear, hierarchical ladder of the past has been replaced by a more agile, purpose-driven ecosystem of opportunities.

The contrast is stark:

Traditional model valued:

• Stability

• Loyalty

• Promotion through tenure

• Clear hierarchies

Today’s young workers want:

• Purposeful roles

• Transparent communication

• Agile work environments

• Career experimentation

This new model prioritizes continuous learning, flexibility, and making a tangible impact over simply climbing a prestigious corporate ladder.

A good job aligns with Gen Z’s identity and values. Not just a paycheck.

It’s not a Gen Z problem,  it’s a leadership opportunity

Today’s young workers are not anti-work. They are anti-obsolete-work.
Their disengagement is not a crisis of motivation, but a mirror held up to outdated leadership models.

They are seeking environments that provide real opportunities for growth, show deep respect for mental health, offer genuine flexibility, and connect their daily tasks to a larger purpose.

This isn’t a generational problem to be managed — it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how we build human-centric organizations.

Young workers are looking for environments that:

• Value personal growth

• Respect mental health

• Offer flexibility

• Recognize impact

• Support community and purpose

“The question for leaders today is not ‘How do we make young people fit?’ It’s ‘How do we build work environments that deserve their talent, ambition, and creativity?’”