Many zoomers entered the workforce during the pandemic-affected economy. Naturally, this has major consequences for social attitudes about work --- and the viability of performing labor in times of crisis.

the Great Resignation has inspired a generation of workers to speak critically --- and cynically --- about the role of labor in their lives. As a result, zoomers (and millennials, to an extent) have been touted, perhaps undeservedly, as beacons of anti-capitalism and pivotal figures in the nationwide quitting spree.

"It's not necessarily that different generations hold different attitudes about work," Damaske argued. "For millennials and for some members of Gen Z, they've witnessed two recessions, back-to-back. This is a very different labor market experience than what their parents and grandparents encountered."

What sets zoomers apart, according to common narratives, is their determination to be fulfilled and defined by other aspects of life. They expect employers to recognize that and promote policies and benefits that encourage work-life balance.

"It's not about people not working," she said. "It's about not settling for a job that diminishes their quality of life. I'm lucky to have realized that early on."

For decades, wo rk has been --- and continues to be --- a major aspect of the American identity. "Most people identify themselves as workers," said Damaske. "It's an identity that adults willingly take on."  The pandemic changed that for everyone, not just the youngest workers. In addition to reassessing their relationship to work, people are... See more

One human resources manager called it the "Great Reflection," wherein people are "taking stock of what they want out of a job, what they want out of employment, and what they want out of their life."

Carson doesn't think that most zoomers are actually anti-work, at least from a political perspective. In fact, she said, she thinks it's the opposite: She has noticed more young people publicly committing to quit an undesirable job so that they can devote more time to learning new skills, in the hopes of entering a field like tech, which boasts... See more

Many have taken to declaring how they don't have dream jobs since they "don't dream of labor." This buzzy phrase, popularized on social media in the pandemic, rejects work as a basis for identity, framing it instead as an act to pursue out of financial necessity. To quote the billionaire Kim Kardashian, it does seem like nobody wants to work these... See more