Welcome back to The Upsiders! You've heard the complaints: Gen Z is lazy, disloyal, and hops jobs every year. But what if those behaviors are actually smart, pragmatic responses to a difficult labor market—and are helping companies become more dynamic?

This week, we debunk the pervasive myths about Gen Z in the workforce. We turn conventional wisdom on its head, starting with our segment, "That's Actually an Upside!", where we argue that job-hopping is now a feature, not a bug, that helps Gen Z find the right fit and avoid burnout.

In this episode, we dive into the data showing that even though Gen Z has already worked at an average of 2.7 companies in 2.8 years, they are also the generation most consistently driven by long-term career goals.

We also define our Word of the Week: "Coffee Badging," and reveal why 70% of bosses caught their employees doing it, yet nearly 60% "didn't mind." Plus, we recognize Alexia Cambon from Gartner as our Unsung Hero of the Upside for helping companies finally understand their youngest workers.

Join us for a Reality Check as we rapidly fire through seven common Gen Z stereotypes and prove why the generation that grew up online is actually the most ambitious, efficient, and pragmatic workforce we've ever seen.

Show Notes:

Job Hopping Is a Feature Not a Bug For Gen Zers | Revelio Labs

Generational Differences in the Workplace [Infographic] | Purdue Global

Job-hopping Gen Z only stay in each job 1 year and 54% are regularly browsing for their next role—but a report says they’re not disloyal villains | Fortune

Employers, beware: Gen Z is the ‘pragmatic generation’ redefining success, seeing money as just a means to an end, landmark EY survey says | Fortune

What is coffee badging? – a deep dive | OWL Labs

How to Appeal to Generation Z Candidates | Gartner

Alexia Cambon: Organisations are struggling to connect employees to culture in a hybrid world, so how will they overcome this? | HR Review