The stereotype that Generation Z is unwilling to work does not match available data, according to Enzo Weber from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). Weber said the image of young people taking extended breaks or preferring a three-day workweek is inaccurate. He noted that what has changed is not their willingness to work, but their expectations regarding flexibility, work-life balance, and autonomy.
Generation Z includes people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, though there are no uniform birth years defined. Recent studies provide concrete evidence of young people's work ethic. The 'Jugend in Deutschland 2026' study surveyed approximately 2,000 people aged 14 to 29 and found a high willingness to work and take responsibility among the young generation.
Klaus Hurrelmann, academic advisor to the study, said the goal should be to give the younger generation more trust and more responsibility.
The labor force participation rate of 20- to 24-year-olds in Germany reached nearly 77 percent in 2025, the highest in decades.
Between 2015 and 2025, the labor force participation rate of 20- to 24-year-olds in Germany increased by more than seven percentage points to nearly 77 percent, the highest level in decades, according to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). Among students in the same age group, the rate rose by more than 19 percentage points between 2015 and 2023 to 56 percent.
The 19th Shell Youth Study 2024 concluded that work remains important to young people, though their priorities have shifted toward flexibility, a good workplace atmosphere, and work-life balance. The study was based on a representative sample of 2,509 young people aged 12 to 25 who were personally interviewed.
According to the German Federal Statistical Office, many 15- to 24-year-olds are not fully in the workforce because they are still in school, vocational training, or university. The data do not indicate that young people are withdrawing from the labor market or fundamentally wanting to work less.
The perception that younger generations are less hardworking than older ones is not new; previous generations were also labeled as more demanding or less resilient. Changes in the workplace — such as remote work, flexible hours, and labor shortages — have altered expectations about what constitutes good work.
