Are you looking for ways to make work easier and more efficient? Look no further, as we explore the features of “work for lazy girls” in this article.
Working to the point of exhaustion and conquering career heights is no longer necessary, say girls of Generation Z — and they choose “easy,” well-paid administrative work that they can quit without any problems. In social networks, this trend is called a lazy girl job. The Z-ers are confident that this approach will preserve their mental health and leave them time for themselves.
How the trend came about
Who invented it?
In the spring of 2023, TikTok blogger Gabrielle Judge published a video about the so-called “lazy girl job.” Gabrielle said that there are “simple and clear” vacancies for “white collars” that allow you to earn a decent salary. Usually, a lazy girl job is a relatively “boring” administrative position with flexible working hours. They imply a clear routine: correspondence, reports, attending meetings. Among them, the blogger names, for example, vacancies for marketing assistants and account managers.
According to Gabrielle Judge, the main advantage of a “lazy” job is maintaining a healthy psyche. At the same time, the TikToker emphasizes that she does not use the word “lazy” in the literal sense, but as an antithesis to a “traditional” workload. “Work for lazy girls” does not involve a heavy workload or overtime. This makes it similar to the quiet quitting trend (literally “quiet dismissal”), when an employee only performs the required minimum of tasks. The media even calls the lazy girl job a female zoomer version of quiet quitting. Gabrielle herself belongs to Generation Z: she was born in 1997.
Other TikTok users followed suit: Judge’s video went viral, and the social network was filled with hundreds of videos sharing similar experiences. Among other things, the girls joked about how they no longer had to pretend to be workaholics and that they could take breaks whenever they wanted and no one would suffer.
What came before it
Lazy girl job is associated with the phenomenon of the anti-work movement. It was actively discussed during the coronavirus pandemic. Many office workers switched to remote work, and by the end of the pandemic, they had become so accustomed to the “easier” conditions that they did not want to return to the office. At the same time, “white collars” faced mental problems due to prolonged self-isolation. This resulted in an “anti-work” philosophy , whose supporters called overtime exploitation by employers and prioritized their own moral well-being. As did the supporters of the lazy girl job trend.
The trend also echoes the concept of “meaningless work,” proposed in 2018 by anthropologist David Graeber. In his book “Bullshit Jobs,” the scientist argues that most modern office jobs do not bring real benefit to others or pleasure to the workers themselves. Such jobs consist of “boring” routine, the person’s personality does not play an important role in them, and employees in them are easy to replace. But while Graeber talks about the stress of such “meaningless work,” supporters of the lazy girl job trend, on the contrary, use it to take care of their mental health.
What are the features of “work for lazy girls”
The media contrasts “jobs for lazy girls” with girlbossing – the concept of women with high career ambitions who prove to others that they are capable of achieving success no worse than men. This explains the gender emphasis in the name of the trend. This is probably why it was not dubbed, for example, a lazy person job (although the media stipulates that technically “lazy work” is also suitable for men).
According to Gabrielle Judge, who coined the term lazy girl job, there are several criteria for such work.
A healthy balance between work and life outside of work. Supporters of this trend conscientiously work within the framework of their duties, but do not approve of workaholism , they know how to “switch” to hobbies and other activities, pay attention to themselves. And if they want, they can easily quit such a job.
Flexible work format. The ability to work remotely or occasionally come to the office without the need to constantly communicate with a large number of people gives a sense of freedom and “unloads” the psyche.
Financial freedom. According to Judge, such work “painlessly” covers basic living expenses and allows you to combine it with, for example, caring for a child or other important tasks. However, this freedom is not available to everyone: for such work, the employer may require a higher education. In addition, the actual salary level may be insufficient , and financial support from family or a partner will be required.
Clear and limited area of responsibility . In a “lazy” job, you don’t need to try to control everyone and everything and worry about everything. The employee, as a rule, has clearly defined responsibilities. This makes the lazy girl job the complete opposite of girlbossing and “toxic corporate feminism,” built on the idea of a certain “superwoman” who can achieve incredible career heights. “Lazy work rejects this toxic culture,” says Erin Grau, co-founder of Charter, a company that studies work practices.
Why Generation Z is Setting This Trend
Dislike of workaholism
Zoomers are more skeptical about the “traditional” work culture and are looking for flexible work options. For example, in 2023, the media discussed the story of 23-year-old Piper Hansen, who shared on social media that she imagined a five-day work week in the office leaving no time for herself. Having started her first job, the girl realized that she no longer had time to see her friends or pursue hobbies.
“Life shouldn’t be like this. I don’t want to spend the next 45 years between work, lunch, sleep and going back to work. I’d like to come to the office for, like, morning meetings and then work from home and do my homework.”
Business Insider
In zoomer families, both partners usually work and both are involved in caring for the children. According to Veronica Weisser, an expert at the Swiss financial holding UBS, they understand the consequences of workaholism on their personal lives. They have before their eyes the example of parents whose marriages failed because one of them was absent at work. Representatives of Generation Z do not want this for their own relationships – and they do not want their children to distance themselves from their parents.
Economic reasons
Most young Americans can’t afford their own homes, and many are struggling to pay off student loans. Corporations are laying off workers, which doesn’t add to the optimism either. When previous generations entered the “working” age, the situation was different. The post-war baby boomers were reaping the benefits of economic growth. New jobs were opening up, and young people could afford to buy real estate, a car, and have a stable income to support a family. All they had to do was work hard—that was the proverbial “American Dream.”
However, the idea of the “American Dream” has weakened from generation to generation. According to a study by the American University in Washington , Generation Z includes in this concept not the obligatory possession of one’s own home, but a feeling of happiness, mental health and freedom, including political freedom. Zoomers have a sober view of the unattainability of financial benefits. In the current economic conditions, they will definitely not earn all the money in the world and, probably, will not even have the same standard of living as their parents. So they simply do not see the point in working to the point of exhaustion.
“Gen Z no longer romanticizes hard work. We don’t take pride in it, as scary as that may sound to boomers and millennials. Gone are the days when working your ass off led to a nice house and financial security. Many of my friends have resigned themselves to the fact that they’re going to have to pay rent for the next 20 years. So it’s all about finding work-life balance in a financial system that doesn’t reward hard work as much as it should.”
columnist for The Standard
Greater flexibility
“Z-ers are ready to move away from the formula of ‘graduate from college, get a prestigious job, work there for a long time’ set by previous generations,” says Giuliano Bianchi, a professor of economics at the Lausanne School of Hotel Management. According to Bianchi, Generation Z may be the first generation that does not rely on a single degree. They prefer continuous education and master interdisciplinary fields, acquiring skills that will allow them to work in different positions and change jobs with ease.
The “flexible” attitude of zoomers to work and learning is also confirmed by companies studying the labor market. Market Scale Company specialists, citing research, state that the “z” generation values the opportunity to learn something new most in an employer – for example, when employees are given access to useful courses and materials. And the HR company PSHRA advises clients to provide employees with the opportunity to learn – if they want to attract zoomers to the company.
Why the trend is criticized
Infantilism
Older generations often criticize the work ethic of Zoomers. In a recent interview with The Guardian, actress Jodie Foster shared that she is irritated by the casual attitude of younger colleagues towards work. “They can easily say, ‘I’m not in the mood today, I’ll come back later,’” Foster said .
In the summer of 2023, The Wall Street Journal published a column titled “‘Lazy Girl Jobs’ Won’t Make Zoomers Less Anxious.” According to its author and baby boomer Suzy Welch, zoomers are woefully unprepared for adult life. They are afraid of the difficulties that inevitably arise on their career path, and therefore artificially limit themselves by choosing easier jobs. According to Welch, such restrictions will definitely not toughen them up, make them mentally healthier, or allow them to live a full life.
Gabrielle Judge, who came up with the lazy girl job trend, however, denies that it is all a matter of personal choice.
“We don’t do this because we want to. In a perfect world, everyone would go to work they love and get both money and pleasure. But until that happens, we are forced to work like this. Inflation and expenses are rising, so “lazy” work is a matter of survival if I don’t want to burn out.”
Vulnerability to artificial intelligence
The trend’s supporters are concerned that the development of artificial intelligence may take away their “lazy” jobs. For example, the heroine of the Business Insider article, marketing and communications specialist April, does not consider her position to be too creative. She is afraid that clients may start turning to AI for orders, not to her. These concerns seem reasonable, given the ubiquity of technology. According to forecasts by one of the world’s largest investment banks, Goldman Sachs , artificial intelligence may affect approximately 300 million jobs in the foreseeable future.
However, experts in the field of economics are sure that if they want, “white collars” will not be left without work. Thus, Columbia Business School professor Oded Netzer says that the main thing is to be able to adapt to new conditions, including studying the advantages and “weaknesses” of artificial intelligence and “taming” it.
Kirstin works as a paralegal and considers her job “lazy”. Her tasks include answering emails, making phone calls, and filing documents. She does all this while watching her favorite TV show. Her job functions could potentially be performed by artificial intelligence, but Kirstin believes that she has an advantage over technology.