Which Generation Has the Strongest Work Ethic — and Which Is the Laziest?

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Zety.com.

What happens when baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z all share the same workplace?

Zety’s latest Generational Leadership Report digs into this question and explores how age differences shape today’s workplace—from meeting dynamics to career ambitions, and even the growing conversation around a perceived Gen Z work ethic problem.

The survey of 1,026 U.S. employees finds that 46% report Gen Z’s communication style as the most difficult to navigate in meetings, and only 9% believe Gen Z has the strongest work ethic. Yet, younger generations (Gen Z and millennials) remain ambitious, with most aspiring to leadership roles.

The data points to broader trends in how different generations approach careers, collaboration, and professional growth.

Key findings:

46% of workers believe baby boomers have the strongest work ethic, followed by Gen X at 26%, millennials at 19%, and Gen Z’s work ethic at 9%.
Gen Z’s communication style is reported as the most difficult to navigate in meetings (46%).
49% of employees have no interest in becoming managers, with the top reason being a desire to avoid stress and people management responsibilities (59%).
Despite stereotypes about low ambition, 36% of millennials and 35% of Gen Z aspire to become managers.
66% of workers say younger generations are more likely to “job hop,” reinforcing persistent perceptions about retention and commitment.

Generations Ranked by Work Ethic

Workers hold distinct views of different generations, and these perceptions often influence workplace behavior. When asked which generation has the strongest work ethic, respondents said:

Baby boomers: 46%
Gen X: 26%
Millennials: 19%
Gen Z: 9%

66% of workers also believe younger generations are more likely to “job hop” than older generations, highlighting the persistent stereotypes about age and career commitment.

Multigenerational Collaboration Brings Strength and Strains

Although employees recognize the benefits of collaborating across generations, differences in communication can cause friction:

71% say multigenerational collaboration is a source of strength in their workplace.
29% say it’s a source of conflict.
Communication differences are the main hurdle, with Gen Z’s style reported as the most difficult to navigate (46%).

Leadership Ambitions Vary Across Generations

While leadership roles are often seen as a way to climb the corporate ladder, not everyone is willing to follow that path:

Overall, 49% of workers have no interest in becoming a manager and prefer to remain an individual contributor.
From their experience, 48% say younger generations are less interested in becoming managers.
The top three factors discouraging employees from pursuing management include:

Preference to avoid stress and managing people (59%)
Concerns about work-life balance as a manager (15%)
Lack of confidence or skills for management (10%)

Despite workplace perceptions, ambition remains strong among younger workers, with 36% of millennials and 35% of Gen Z saying they aspire to be a manager or people leader—pointing to a new era of Gen Z leadership that may redefine what management looks like in the modern workplace.

Methodology

The findings presented are based on a nationally representative survey conducted by Zety using Pollfish on November 28, 2025. The survey collected responses from 1,026 U.S. employees and examined their perceptions of work ethic across generations, communication challenges in multigenerational teams, and aspirations for leadership and career advancement.

Respondents answered different types of questions, including yes/no; scale-based questions, where they indicated their level of agreement with statements; and multiple-choice, where they could select from a list of provided options.

The sample consisted of 49% female, 50% male, and 1% nonbinary respondents, with 22% Gen Z, 26% millennials, 26% Gen X, and 26% baby boomers.