‘Gen Z doesn’t work?’ Employee says he was still in office at 1 am as entire floor went home

Gen Z employees are often described as the least willing to follow traditional workplace rules, with stereotypes portraying them as impatient, job-hopping, overly focused on work-life balance and unwilling to work beyond fixed hours. From setting strict boundaries to questioning hierarchy and rejecting the idea that long hours equal productivity, younger workers have often been labelled lazy or entitled by older generations. However, not every Gen Z employee fits that perception. Many are equally serious about their careers, take pride in their skills and can find themselves working long hours when the situation demands it. Along similar lines, a Gen Z employee recently shared a Reddit post detailing a late-night workplace experience.

When being indispensable at work backfires

The Gen Z employee said that he found himself working at around 1 am while the rest of the office floor had already emptied. The reason was month-end closing work, which had accumulated in significant volumes and was something they were currently the only person on the floor equipped to handle.

The situation also made the Gen Z employee reflect on the risks of becoming too indispensable at work. Despite handling a substantial workload, he said there was no overtime compensation because management had not explicitly asked them to stay late. At the same time, he questioned how the work could realistically have been completed without putting in the additional hours.


The Gen Z employee was already serving his notice period and was using the remaining time to complete his responsibilities. Despite the workload, he admitted genuinely enjoying the nature of his job and believed that his interest in the work had helped them become particularly good at it. However, he also saw this as a lesson in maintaining boundaries rather than becoming excessively invested in one role.

Skills Gen Z employee’s workplace overlooked

The Gen Z employee’s experience had nevertheless given him valuable professional exposure. The employee said recruiters had specifically shown interest in his previous work experience, making them realise that some of the skills and knowledge he had developed were potentially more valuable than his current workplace recognised.

Several colleagues and managers had also noticed how much responsibility had accumulated around one person. A senior had identified the situation as a potential dependency risk and suggested that management arrange a backup. However, according to the Gen Z employee, no effective replacement was trained, leaving him responsible for the same workload.

The Gen Z employee credited an early mentor for helping him learn the role. Although that mentor eventually left, the guidance had given him the foundation to handle increasingly complex responsibilities independently. Now, as he prepared to leave, the employee was being asked to document his knowledge in detailed Excel and Word files so that others could take over. He found it amusing that his proposed replacements appeared to underestimate how complicated the work actually was.

Final takeaway

Despite the frustrations, the Gen Z employee said that he remained grateful for the experience and the learning it provided. A supportive manager also encouraged him to finish their responsibilities without taking excessive stress and move on once their notice period ended. The employee ultimately described the experience as a collection of workplace lessons — including the importance of valuing one's skills without allowing a job to become an overwhelming part of life.