Boomer and Gen Zer clash over claim younger generations are ‘lazy’ in the workplace

Boomer and Gen Zer clash over claim younger generations are ‘lazy’ in the workplace
  • PublishedJanuary 11, 2024

A Boomer and Gen Zer have got into a fiery debate on live TV over whether the younger generation are “lazy” when it comes to work.

The heated debate played out on UK breakfast show Good Morning Britain, fuelled by comments made by Oscar winner Jodie Foster in which she branded Gen Z “really annoying” in the workplace.

In light of Foster’s comments, Good Morning Britain asked viewers whether they thought Gen Z was “lazy in the workplace”, with 64.8 per cent of voters agreeing and 35.2 per cent disagreeing.

Hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid were joined by journalist Nina Myskow, who is part of the Baby Boomer generation, and entrepreneur Adwoa Owusu-Darko, who is part of Gen Z.

Ms Myskow claimed Foster “has a point” with her comments about the younger generation’s work ethic.

Nina Myskow claimed Gen Zers were ‘mollycoddled’ and ‘entitled’. Picture: Good Morning Britain

Nina Myskow claimed Gen Zers were ‘mollycoddled’ and ‘entitled’. Picture: Good Morning Britain

Adwoa Owusu-Darko said her generation were merely putting in boundaries and valuing a work-life balance. Picture: Good Morning Britain

Adwoa Owusu-Darko said her generation were merely putting in boundaries and valuing a work-life balance. Picture: Good Morning Britain

She added that she was not “writing off the whole generation” and claimed their attitude to work wasn’t their fault because they had been “mollycoddled”.

“It’s only through adversity that you get some kind of backbone, resilience and work ethic. It’s not that generation’s fault, they have been brought up to feel entitled,” the journalist claimed.

Ms Owusu-Darko quickly stepped in to defend her generations, saying they have a “sense of innovation and efficiency” and claiming over 50 per cent of Gen Zers in the workforce have a full-time job as well as a side hustle.

“To be able to hold a part-time job and pursuit an entrepreneurial endeavour, which is what I did, all the way through university, then start a business, now have five streams of income – that shows Gen Z have a huge capacity to see beyond the constraints of their life,” she said.

Ms Myskow claimed the issue with Gen Z is that they have been brought up to “feel entitled, to feel that anybody can do anything, which is patently not true”.

When asked by host Susanna Reid for her “evidence” that Gen Z are “entitled” and haven’t faced “adversity”, Ms Myskow claimed business leaders have spoken about the “difficulty” of finding younger staff members.

When asked by Ms Owusu-Darko to clarify which business leaders said this, the journalist claims she couldn’t name them.

“But there are many of them. They have said it is almost impossible to find people, to find staff,” she said.

This is where the argument became particularly heated, with both Ms Myskow and Ms Owusu-Darko talking over each other.

“I think that is wrong,” the Gen Z entrepreneur interjected.

“The generation are suffering from unemployment … the amount of jobs that are available are dropping. They are becoming more innovative, they are finding more avenues to find other jobs,” she said.

Ms Myskow hit back, claiming the reason it is difficult for Gen Z to find jobs is because of their “impossibly high standards”.

“They are making demands. Instead of going for an interview for a job and saying ‘What are the conditions for the job?’ they are saying ‘No I don’t work Friday nights, or I don’t work Saturdays’,” she claimed.

Ms Owusu-Darko said this was just Gen Z “setting boundaries” and valuing work-life balance.

“If you are working in a business you are working in a profession you should value your time, and value your wellbeing and value your health,” she said.

At this point the hosts interjected, as both guests were continuing to talk over one another.

It appears the viewers were unimpressed with how the debate unfolded, with many social media users commenting on the behaviour of the guests.

“Complete waste of time, constantly talking over each other. Looks as if these generations have lost their manners. Shame as would have been very interested in this debate,” one person wrote.

Another asked why they were allowed to continue to interrupt each other, claiming it made them want to switch off the TV.

SOURCE: NEWS.COM

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