From ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’ to ‘lazy girl jobs’, the internet has had a front-row seat to Gen Z’s no-frills and laid-back relationship with work.

Laying bare both their evolving attitudes, as well as the realities of the capitalist systems they attempt to work within, Zers are showing up to work however they see fit.

This shift has resulted in the latest work trend to take over the internet: welcome to the era of ‘personality hires’.

Known for their charismatic personas rather than their Excel skills, the personality hire has become a key figure in the office for boosting morale.

Personality hires can pick you up when you're feeling down, they can cheer you up after a particularly intense meeting or they can have you giggling over water cooler talk and chit-chat.

But these hires speak to something greater.

As hustle culture and girlboss narratives take a back seat, personality hires are ushering in a new wave of wider workplace shifts.

Gen Z are here for the vibes

Work isn't supposed to be all sunshine and rainbows.

In fact, for many older generations work has traditionally been about knuckling down and getting on with things – 35% of Baby Boomers are engaged at work which is more than Gen Y (33%) and Gen X (31%).

But has anyone told Gen Z this news? It appears not.

The personality hire trend speaks to a Gen Z vibe shift away from workplace professionalism toward new ideas of working norms and career etiquette.

Younger people in the workforce are standing out and getting ahead by capitalising on their bubbly energy rather than their ability to number crunch.

This shift emphasises the importance of boosting employee morale across the board, which can be just as important as doing the work itself.

But as Gen Zers in the US are predicted to overtake Baby Boomers in the workforce in 2024, can this younger cohort's working style and energy stick?

New values and working norms

Personality hires inject good vibes into professional atmospheres.

These individuals champion a working style that places value on character and showcases how beyond traditional skill sets, good people skills can be the secret sauce in getting the job done.

Their infectious energy not only makes offices a more pleasant place to be but also serves as a reminder that success can be achieved with a dash of humour and a genuine connection with colleagues.

As companies and employees alike celebrate the importance of teamwork and people-first skills, this light-hearted trend is a signal of more harmonious working environments.

And with 81% of employees who ranked their company as “great” describing their office environments as fun, new working values are taking over.

Work shouldn’t be all fun and games, however, as people still have jobs to do.

But with research showing that having fun at work has a positive impact on engagement, creativity, and purpose, personality hires may be the start of creating space for people to thrive at work while having a good time along the way.