Gen Z, Millennial workers think these office faux pas are OK

They cheat the system.

A majority of Gen Z and millennial workers believe that “cheating” in the workplace is completely acceptable, such as sleeping on the clock or using AI to complete tasks.

According to a study from Papers Owl95% of respondents aged 18 to 34 said such “rule-bending” is fine, and many participants admitted to being guilty of at least one method.

Switching off earlier was reported by 34% of those surveyed, followed by calling in sick when they were in perfect health for a day off, starting the day late and “sitting up.”

The survey also found that 14% of people used artificial intelligence to complete work tasks, 11% slept on the clock when working from home, and 11% “logged more hours than they actually worked.”

More than half of the 2,000 Americans surveyed also said they “vacated” — took a trip under the guise of working remotely — at least once in the past year, while 12% said they have it more than once.

But the study authors argued that it’s not Gen Z “just being lazy” and revealed that the main reasons for “silent holidays” include burnout and limited freedom from pay or not being able or approved to take time off.

In fact, out of the entire voting pool, only one person said they did it “just because they can.”

The survey also found that a popular return to the office procrastination tactic is “coffee badging,” when workers walk into the office just to have their swipes counted, catch up with someone over coffee, and go to work elsewhere.

According to the survey, 36% of workers were guilty of workplace hacking, admitting to using the method 10 or more times in the past 12 months.

Reasons for this solution include wanting more flexibility, preferring to work elsewhere, limiting distractions in the office, feeling unproductive in the office, and better commuting.

The workplace trends emerge amid the rise of “career catfishing” — which typically involves skipping the first day of a new job — which 29% of Gen Z and Millennials admit to doing.

But Papers Owl also highlighted the ways in which Gen Z can be motivated to work harder.

To no one’s surprise, more than half of those surveyed said higher pay was a “top motivator,” followed by positive work environments, family-related benefits, and being recognized when they overcome challenges on the job.