Despite growing discussions about work-life balance, company culture, and employee strategies, many find that doing their job well means being rewarded with more work and greater responsibilities, leading to burnout and feelings of disconnection from their organizations. 

 A Deloitte Middle East report highlights that Gen Zs and millennials prioritize three key areas in the workplace: money, meaning, and well-being.

Financial insecurity is rising, with nearly half of Gen Zs (48%) and millennials (46%) saying they do not feel financially secure, up from around 30% last year. Purpose also plays a critical role in job satisfaction, with nearly nine in 10 Gen Zs (89%) and millennials (92%) considering it essential to their well-being.

When these needs are unmet, younger generations are more likely to disengage from their roles and seek purpose elsewhere.

While some organizations bank on employees accepting heavy workloads to advance in their careers, the report shows that only 6% of Gen Zs view reaching a senior leadership position as their primary career goal. Instead, remain focused on growth and learning.

At 25, Mariam Zakaria, who works in finance, says her early career experience was discouraging.

“I was rewarded for my hard work with more unpaid tasks, added responsibilities, and no raise or promotion,” she says, adding that the culture at her previous workplace quickly led to burnout and pushed her to change jobs.

In her current role, she admits to being cautious about how much she demonstrates her capacity to handle heavy workloads. “I’m careful not to show how much I can take on, for fear of being taken advantage of.”

Zakaria notes that while she always completes the assignments given to her, she sometimes deliberately takes longer to finish them to avoid being overloaded with additional tasks too quickly.

She set clear boundaries from the start, avoiding after-hours messages, managing workload expectations, and clarifying annual and sick leave policies before joining her new company.

SETTING BOUNDARIES

According to Ola Elkelany, People and Culture Expert and HR Consultant, setting workplace boundaries has become increasingly common among younger generations.

“What we are witnessing with Gen Z isn’t just about strict boundaries; it’s a defensive response to avoid being drained under the banner of ‘going the extra mile’ or ‘thinking outside the box,’” she says.

For Gen Z, work-life balance is viewed not as an added benefit but as essential for delivering consistent, high-quality output. But employers often set high expectations for this generation, Elkelany says.

“They’ve recognized that when work consumes all their time and energy, it inevitably leads to burnout, a state that is neither sustainable for long-term performance nor income growth.”

Raza Adil, Strategy Consultant, C-Level Advisor, and Career Coach, adds that Gen Z has developed stricter boundaries after observing that going the extra mile, as many previous generations did, does not always result in rewards.

“The reward balance is lopsided and favors the organization or management. While employees are penalized for being late, no extra compensation is given for working beyond the agreed hours or on the weekends and public holidays,” he says, adding that younger generations have seen the burnout and emotional exhaustion of those before them who sacrificed personal time for unreciprocated company loyalty.

NEGATIVE COMPANY PRACTICES

Adil points to several workplace practices that have shaped Gen Z’s reluctance to go “above and beyond.” He describes it as a reaction to a lack of fairness and a gap between corporate messaging and reality. 

Among the key factors, he notes the absence of recognition for employees’ efforts, with senior leadership often taking the spotlight while the contributions of middle management and junior staff go unnoticed. Another driver is the perception of being underpaid, as stagnant wages leave many feeling their work is not adequately rewarded. 

This frustration, he adds, is compounded by HR initiatives and cultural programs that appear more like “box-ticking” exercises than genuine efforts. Ultimately, the popular corporate refrain of “we’re a family” falls flat when rewards remain skewed in favor of the organization.

Additionally, common unfair comparisons between Gen Z and other generations need to be reconsidered. Elkelany says, “Their speed and quality of work, driven by their natural fluency with technology, justify higher pay than peers from other generations. Yet, many companies still rely on outdated measures like seniority and tenure, while overlooking the tangible impact of their results.”

Stagnant wages, unrealistic workloads, and limited recognition, create a work environment where Gen Z feels undervalued. Ola says, “If employers fail to provide fair rewards, growth opportunities, and genuine appreciation, they should not expect to retain this talent once they choose to leave for workplaces that meet those needs.”

ATTITUDES SHAPING STRATEGY

Despite widespread unfairness, Gen Z’s approach is reshaping salary negotiations and retention strategies by reversing the traditional power dynamic. Elkelany says that the conversation has shifted from “Why should we hire you?” to “What extra value do you offer me to accept your offer?” and even from “Why do you want to leave?” to “Why do you expect me to stay?”

“This generation enters negotiations with clarity and confidence, seeking transparent pay structures, performance-based adjustments, and alignment with market benchmarks,” she says. 

Beyond pay, Gen Z places equal weight on meaningful work, fair workloads, flexibility, growth opportunities, and genuine recognition. “If employers fail to provide this mutual value, they should expect higher turnover — because Gen Z will not hesitate to leave for an organization that respects their priorities and rewards them accordingly.”

Adil adds that retention strategies are also shifting to reflect Gen Z’s demand for transparency and tangible value. They are less likely to accept vague promises of future growth and tend to approach salary negotiations armed with market data. “The Gen Z workforce, worldwide, doesn’t believe in ‘Employee Loyalty’ just as ‘Job Security’ isn’t something employers guarantee anymore.”

This mindset, he explains, has contributed to increased job hopping as Gen Z evaluates which employer treats them best. “They also, unlike previous generations, look at the workplace as a platform for forming bonds and social life. That is the only thing that can help in retaining Gen Z employees.”

NEEDED POLICIES

Zakaria draws on her experience and her friends to stress the need for stronger HR structures in MENA workplaces, particularly in smaller businesses and startups.

“When you’re just starting out, chances are you’ll work at a smaller organization or startup, where proper structure and hierarchy are often missing,” she explains. “That absence creates challenges, from weak employee rights and unclear systems to a lack of recognition, fair rewards, and salary growth.”

Experts agree that organizations can better align with Gen Z’s expectations by reframing people strategies around shared value and long-term sustainability. This requires moving beyond transactional HR practices to design systems that reward impact, encourage innovation, and build trust. 

Elkelany emphasizes that compensation frameworks should focus on performance and contribution rather than tenure, while remaining responsive to market shifts. Clear purpose and measurable outcomes, she notes, allow employees to concentrate on high-value work without unnecessary stress.

Culturally, there’s a need to create an environment rooted in recognition, psychological safety, and growth. 

“When policies are built around mutual benefit, employees stay engaged, productivity rises, and retention becomes a natural outcome rather than a constant challenge.”

At the same time, companies must adopt a more authentic culture by replacing top-down management with genuine engagement. Adil says, “This includes giving Gen Z representation in all aspects, including management decisions.”