‘We log off early’: A 35-year-old PR CEO lets Gen Z employees leave when they want, claims it produces better output than ‘hustle culture’

That’s when Jessy responded in a way that may seem unthinkable to people who grew up in the rise-and-grind era where working overtime was a right of passage.

“Yes, log off,” she texted back.

And this wasn’t a one-time occurrence.

“We log off early, particularly on Fridays, so they can give themselves an extra-long weekend,” Marshall told news.com.au. The output they produce as a result is “smarter than hustle culture” she says.

Clearly, Gen Z is ushering in a new work culture that’s quickly changing what offices look and feel like.

New rules: Boundaries, virtual collaboration and transparency

Growing up in the digital age has led Gen Z — also known as Zoomers — to advocate for a clearer divide between work and personal time.

“Gen Zs feel that there are few or no boundaries, be it in their real or virtual lives,” Valerie Malcherek, a Gen Z employer branding specialist at Zurich Insurance said in a recent report.

Mental health is a big part of this work-life balance and is something Gen Z holds dear, according to a recent Stanford Report collaboration with Roberta Katz, a former senior research scholar at Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

“Work and home life are all so integrated that if you don’t pay attention, you could be working all the time,” said Katz. “I think Gen Z is sensitive to that.”

Rotating leadership, where different team members take turns captaining the ship based on expertise, is another strategy that Zoomers prefer, says Katz.

“They don’t believe in hierarchy for hierarchy’s sake,” Katz said. “They do believe in hierarchy where it is useful.”

Growing up online taught Gen Zs with shared interests to collaborate on fan-built websites to maintain fandoms like the K-Pop BTS Army and Taylor Swift Swifties. Such an environment got young folks used to working together virtually rather than having one person telling everyone what to do.

Even set work hours are falling out of favor, according to 24-year-old Erifili Gounari, CEO of The Z Link, a global Gen Z social media agency.

“It all depends on the projects of the various teams as to the schedules individuals work,” she told Eddie Burns, communications consultant at iProduce Media.

It comes down to transparency over professionalism. Being real with your manager about where you’re at mentally, emotionally and physically can build more trust and connection, which can help strengthen team bonds. This approach can leave more room for quality work to be produced when employees are feeling their best.

“They are much better at saying they feel pushed or exhausted or they don’t feel like themselves and need to take time out,” Marshall told news.com.au. “They are really proud of what they are doing and I’m giving them time to rejuvenate.”

But whether this work culture translates to industries outside of the creative sphere is something to consider.

Is the Gen Z approach to work here to stay?

Gen Z makes up 22% of the global population at nearly 2 billion people and 27% of the global workforce, according to an analysis from McCrindle.