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By Suzanne Blake
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Gen Z workers spend nearly an hour of their workday watching TV, costing companies over $8,241 per employee per year, a new report says.
That was significantly higher than Gen Z's millennial counterparts, according to a survey from TollFreeForwarding.com.
Workplace productivity has significantly declined in 75 years, and disengaged employees are estimated to cost U.S. businesses up to $550 billion annually. Gen Z's tendency to watch TV during company time adds up to a whopping nine days and 19 hours of paid TV watching over the course of a year.
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On the other hand, millennials spent four days, 14 hours and 23 minutes on TV watching during work each year, while Gen X averaged eight days, 5 hours and 11 minutes.
Millennials and Gen X also spent time on the clock doing things other than work. For millennials, an average of two days and nine hours yearly were spent on child care.
Gen X-ers spent the most time playing with their pets, which led to an average of 13 hours and 46 minutes of lost work time each year.
"We found it quite interesting to see how people of different generations choose to spend their workdays and just how much time people spend on other tasks while on the clock," Jason O'Brien, chief operating officer of TollFreeForwarding.com, said in the report.
"To create a more productive environment for workers, business leaders should create and promote an environment that fosters growth and productivity. We recommend creating a culture of continuous improvement, embracing new tools and technologies, and giving employees the skills and freedom to be creative and drive change."
While many companies might be hesitant about Gen Z's inclination to watch TV on the job, HR consultant Bryan Driscoll said the pattern merely reflects the "toxic hustle culture" they inherited.
"This generation is overworked and underpaid, and many are working multiple jobs just to survive," Driscoll told Newsweek. "So, can we really blame them for carving out some semblance of balance during the workday?"
Driscoll said the larger issue is the "unrealistic" expectations companies are placing on employees by expecting constant productivity.
"Gen Z is simply pushing back, finding ways to cope with the endless demands, and regain some level of control over their day," Driscoll said, adding there are ramifications for companies that do not adapt.
"Gen Z isn't willing to sacrifice their well-being. If employers don't adapt and provide more meaningful support, they'll continue to lose talent. The future of work isn't about surveillance and squeezing every last drop of productivity. It's about empowering employees to be human."
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Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, said the TV work trend among Gen Z, which comprises those born between 1997 and 2012, reflects that the younger group has grown up constantly intertwined with digital interfaces.
"For Gen Z, watching videos on their smartphones, computers, and other devices has been something they've been doing in school for years, either as the result of a lenient smartphone policy or a lack of rigorous enforcement," Beene told Newsweek. "As a result, many of them came to believe they could do basically anything they wanted on their devices during time that should ideally be devoted to other tasks."
While many Gen Z-ers prioritize work during their set hours, those who do not could still face penalties if their employers become aware of the trend.
"For the ones who are enjoying personal entertainment on the employer's dime, it could lead to a harsh reality down the line," Beene said.
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