Fired Before the First Promotion: Why Gen Z Grads Are Being Let Go
The Quietest Layoff Trend Isn’t a Mass Firing. It’s One Generation at a Time.
They show up with degrees, resumes crafted in Canva, and hope that maybe this time the office won't feel like a cage.
They’re smart. Quick. Often kind.
But within weeks, months, if they’re lucky, they’re gone.
Fired.
Let go.
Quietly told it’s “not working out.”
Companies are letting go of Gen Z grads at surprising rates, citing unprofessionalism, lateness, and laziness.
But that’s not the whole story. Not even close.
This is a tale about two worlds colliding:
The workplace as it was…and the one that’s being born.
What Companies Are Saying
From anonymous HR forums to viral TikToks and mainstream coverage, here’s what employers claim:
“They ghost interviews.”
“They don’t know how to send emails professionally.”
“They come in late…or not at all.”
“They want raises within three months but haven’t shown initiative.”
On paper, it sounds like entitlement.
But under the surface, something deeper is happening.
What Gen Z Is Actually Facing
Gen Z grew up through:
School shootings and active shooter drills
Climate anxiety and pandemic isolation
Rising tuition, shrinking salaries
Social media everywhere
The realization that “work hard and you’ll succeed” was a lie
They are the most digitally fluent generation.
They are also the most burned out before they’ve even started.
Their idea of professionalism is different:
Work-life balance isn’t optional....it’s assumed.
Mental health isn’t taboo…it’s central.
Respect isn’t hierarchical…it’s mutual.
Time is currency…and they don’t want to spend it in gray cubicles chasing gold stars that don’t come.
Is It Really Laziness, or a Different Language?
What looks like laziness might actually be detachment.
What looks like unprofessionalism might be informality, normalized by online life.
And what looks like entitlement?
Maybe it’s just knowing your worth in a system that’s shown it won’t return loyalty.
A Gen Z grad might prefer remote work not because they’re “spoiled,” but because they’ve seen:
Parents commute for 20 years only to be laid off
Friends build businesses from bedrooms
Workplaces that talk about “family” and deliver burnout
They’re not lazy.
They’re selectively engaged.
But Let’s Be Fair, Some of This Is On Them
Of course, not all criticism is misplaced.
Some Gen Z workers:
Do show up late
Do ghost interviews
Do expect career acceleration without the grind
It’s not generational slander. It’s lack of experience.
They missed years of socialization during COVID.
They had classes on Zoom, jobs on pause, and never learned how to read a room when the room was always pixelated.
The Real Problem? No One Taught Them How to Work
We handed them iPads and algorithms and said, “Here, learn.”
We took away home economics, speech class, and etiquette.
We gave them group chats and burnout memes.
Now they’re walking into jobs with no idea:
How to craft a professional email
How to schedule a meeting
How to receive criticism without collapse
The system failed to onboard them into adulthood.
And now we’re surprised they’re fumbling.
What Needs to Change, From Both Sides
Employers:
Create structured mentorship…not just onboarding videos
Stop mistaking formality for effectiveness
Set clear, compassionate expectations
Gen Z grads:
Learn the soft skills your degree didn’t teach
Show up. On time. With effort.
Let humility be a bridge, not a sacrifice
This isn’t about coddling.
It’s about understanding that we are mid-transformation.
The workplace isn’t dying.
It’s molting.
When the Systems Don't Fit, Gen Z Builds Their Own
It’s no coincidence that:
Gen Z runs the fastest-growing creator economy
They dominate platforms that monetize authenticity
They’re building new systems of healing and productivity outside the traditional 9-to-5
This is a generation that wants:
Freedom
Fairness
Flexibility
And feedback that doesn’t feel like punishment
And when they don’t find it, they make something better.
Or quit. Quietly. Loudly. Completely.
An Example: Office Chairs vs. Wellbeing
You give them a $1,000 ergonomic chair.
They ask: “But can I work from my kitchen table with sunlight and my dog?”
Maybe instead of enforcing attendance, we measure output.
And maybe instead of mocking their sunlight and ice bath rituals, we realize they’re not being extra.
They’re trying to regulate their nervous systems in a world that constantly short-circuits them.
Want to support Gen Z wellbeing in a way they’ll appreciate?
Try gifting a desk LED therapy lamp that it mimics natural light and supports circadian rhythm when trapped in fluorescent-lit offices.
Sometimes performance improves when the body feels safe.
So… Should You Hire Gen Z?
Yes.
But don’t expect them to assimilate without help.
Expect to meet them halfway.
Teach them.
Hear them.
Hold space for growth.
And remember: they’re not just the future.
They’re your coworkers now.
What This Really Tells Us About Work
Maybe this isn’t just about Gen Z.
Maybe it’s about all of us unlearning a model that never really worked.
We want to feel respected.
We want to work in places that don’t drain us.
We want time to matter more than performative busyness.
Gen Z just says it out loud.
