Gen Z in 9-to-5 Employment. An analysis of the Generation Z business students’ view of the corporate world

Sammanfattning

This study explores how Generation Z business students perceive traditional corporate 9-to-5 employment and corporate culture. The purpose is to examine whether corporate work is viewed as an attractive and stable career path or as an outdated structure that requires adaptation to meet the expectations of younger generations. It also investigates how factors such as work-life balance, workplace flexibility, organizational structure, and social media influence Generation Z’s perceptions of corporate employment. The study is based on a quantitative survey of 89 respondents, including participants with and without corporate or office work experience, as well as observations of social media content on TikTok and Reddit. The findings reveal mixed views of corporate work: respondents value stability, predictable income, career growth, and professional development, while expressing concerns about bureaucracy, repetitive tasks, stress, burnout, and limited flexibility. Respondents with work experience were generally more critical of corporate work, while those without experience were more influenced by social media portrayals. The study concludes that Generation Z does not reject corporate employment entirely but expects organizations to modernize traditional work structures and provide greater flexibility, meaningful work, and improved work-life balance.