As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

The self-made mythos is as powerful as ever, despite societal upheaval testing its limits. Even mundane pastimes have been monetised as people cash in on massive audiences and leave no niche unexplored. Selling out is no longer a source of embarrassment, it’s just what makes the world go round.

Gen Zers have been labeled lazy by the corporate world because their ambition looks different from their predecessors in the workplace. Further inspection of their work ethic shows that it extends beyond their nine-to-five, with side hustles challenging the anti-ambition accusation.

Gen Zers will account for more than one-quarter of the global workforce by 2025, and they’re bringing a different set of attributes, attitudes, and ambitions to the office. But what characterises the Gen Zer professional? And how could they redefine the world of work for generations to come?

Gen Zers are increasingly redefining workplaces, and a study has shown that they’re looking to control their careers by starting their own businesses. The findings highlight how this cohort is adapting to new career contexts, working for themselves, and taking life into their own hands.

The slow erosion of the idea of meritocracy followed by a flurry of global crises has Gen Zers set firmly in an anti-ambition era. Social contracts with employers are being renegotiated by a generation that's rejecting the unhealthy career attitudes normalised by previous generations.