The stereotype of the spoiled Zoomer, as Gen Z is sometimes mockingly called, is one of the most persistent labels out there. At least until Gen Alpha teenagers grow up and take over as the new scapegoat. Until then, we’ll keep reading analyses about how people born between 1998 and 2012 are lazy, oversensitive, and lacking in social skills and work ethic.

It’s the classic playbook of griping, generalizations, and baseless accusations that older generations aim at the young in every era, just updated for today. When millennials, now in their 40s, entered the workforce, Time magazine dubbed them “the me me me generation,” calling them lazy narcissists who still lived with their parents and thought the world owed them something.

Before them, Gen X, or at least a subset of them, were branded “slackers,” a term that also implies laziness and shirking. Something similar happened with the second wave of baby boomers, born in the 1950s and early 1960s. They were the “me generation,” obsessed with personal introspection and self-improvement, caring more about themselves than the common good, according to the label American writer Tom Wolfe, the father of new journalism, pinned on them.

Gen Z is looking for balance

The good news today is that there’s a strong counterargument to the narrative of a lazy, thin-skinned Gen Z. International and Greek research both point to a generation that has directly felt economic pressure and job insecurity. It’s the generation that grew up moving from crisis to crisis: the financial recession, the pandemic, and then a string of overlapping crises in energy, housing, climate, and the cost of living.

Despite the difficulties, Gen Z doesn’t buy into the “any job will do” mentality. According to Deloitte’s latest global “2026 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey,” which surveyed more than 22,500 young people across 44 countries, including Greece, today’s 20- and 30-somethings are redefining what career success means.

Stability, skill development, mental balance, and quality of life now matter more than fast career advancement or a leadership title. Over 90% of Greek Gen Z respondents say they need their work to feel meaningful in order to feel satisfied professionally. Four in ten say work is a major source of stress, and most believe companies aren’t doing enough for employees’ mental wellbeing. More than one in two (52%) have left a job because they didn’t feel it had a purpose, a higher rate than the global average.

What new research on Gen Z workers shows

IOSH (the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health), the largest international nonprofit organization for workplace safety and health, based in Britain, recently commissioned YouGov to survey 500 workers aged 18. The findings show a generation entering the job market with enthusiasm and talent, but quickly learning that their wellbeing and personal growth take a back seat.

Nearly half of respondents, 48%, believe their employer prioritizes hitting targets over their health and wellbeing. 56% feel they’re judged more on the goals they achieve than on their creativity or overall contribution.

More than one in three, 34%, say they feel uncomfortable taking a full break or disconnecting outside work hours. 15% have taken time off in the past year due to anxiety, depression, or work-related stress, and another 23% have come close to it.

Nearly one in three, 31%, has considered leaving their job because the way it’s structured negatively affects their health and wellbeing. 12% have considered leaving the job market altogether.

A lack of preparation also shows up as a key issue. 42% of young people say they left school without a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities around health and safety at work, which is part of why they often struggle to speak up when something isn’t right.

IOSH is calling on companies to put wellbeing at the center of how work is designed, build a workplace culture that respects the right to rest, strengthen early education on health and safety, and give young workers a genuine voice in decisions that affect them.

What the picture looks like in Greece

Young workers in Greece share a lot in common with their peers in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, but there are notable differences too. The latest nationwide survey by the GSEE Labour Institute, conducted with ALCO among a sample of 1,500 working people up to age 29, is telling. It reveals a generation that’s educated but precarious, with low wages, limited prospects, and high stress levels. As the study notes, “despite distrust in institutions, young people show a willingness toward collective action and are looking for work with meaning, creativity, and life balance.” It highlights the need for job stability, fair pay, stronger mental health support, and real policies to retain young talent.

Financial dependence stands out as a key finding. Only 20% of young workers live on their own, 45% still live with family, and that share rises to 65% among those working part-time. 62% acknowledge financial dependence on their parents, and 70% say their income isn’t enough to cover basic needs. The study links this to low wages, expensive housing, and an inadequate social safety net.

Job burnout

Day-to-day pressure shows up at even higher rates than in the British survey. 60% say they experience burnout at work, 62% say work negatively affects their personal life, and 46% feel their job is hurting their health or sleep. Only 21% report a positive work-life balance, while 53% say they feel stressed.

Creativity seems to have little room in the Greek job market. Only 36% say their job lets them take initiative and express ideas, and creativity is recognized and rewarded in just 24% of cases.

The generation’s values clash with the conditions they face. 70% put mental health above financial security, and 73% believe work should have meaning beyond pay. At the same time, 65% say they would accept undeclared work if they had no other option, a contradiction that shows just how deep the insecurity runs.

The prospect of emigration looms as a real risk. 72% see no career prospects in the country, and only 9% are satisfied with their own prospects. 46% say they’re interested in working abroad, while 79% believe their parents’ generation had better working and social conditions. 65% consider starting a family unrealistic given current working conditions.