After Gabrielle Judge went viral on TikTok for her depiction of “lazy girl jobs,” over 20.7 million people viewed the hashtag, and more and more women are tuning in and demanding flexible jobs with a sustainable income. Since I recently wrote about this phenomenon for Forbes, there have been a lot of blow-back to the “lazy girl jobs” label—most of it reaction to the negative connotation of “lazy.” The controversy raises the question of why the goals of flexibility and work-life balance are portrayed as “lazy.” And why are labels like “lazy girl job” and “girl boss” used to trivialize the workplace experiences of women?
Is ‘Lazy Girl Job’ Label Doomed For Nasty Turn?
Originally, “girl boss” was a symbol of change to empower self-made women who ran their own businesses. But after trending on social media platforms like TikTok, it made a nasty turn in a heartbeat from empowering to disparaging ambitious women. A piece by Eryca Worthen in The Women’s Network, warns, “Women need to be aware of this timeline and recognize how a phrase meant to empower women can be warped into the butt of the joke.” Ambitious Gen Zs, too, are simply looking for flexibility and work-life balance outside the traditional nine-to-five professions. But is “lazy girl job”—intended to empower young women—at risk of getting sucked down the same doomed rabbit hole as “girl boss”—demeaning those trying to create their own new and exciting career paths?
It’s no wonder more employed women have imposter syndrome than men. A KPMG study finds 75% of female executives across industries have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers—a feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt that makes them continuously question if they’re qualified enough for the job. No matter our gender, if we think of ourselves as unworthy or believe something is deeply flawed in us, we take those beliefs and treat them as fact in our everyday lives. “Lazy girl job” might run the risk of contributing to self-doubt, anxiety and stress—undermining the ability of young women to internalize their career accomplishments as they seek to create a personally rewarding career path.
Why ‘On Our Own Terms’ Isn’t A Joke
The viral phrase “lazy girl job” isn’t about being lazy at all. It’s really about Gen Zs proclaiming that they will work on their own terms—not corporate America’s terms. It represents a revolution against a work-crazed culture that really means, “We no longer willing to burnout or kill ourselves for a job.” More Gen Zs are looking for work that requires minimal effort, pays decently and is time flexible, leaving room for work-life balance. This trend is considered healthy medicine for an overworked corporate world gone awry. And they are unwilling to be inducted into a job that requires them to sacrifice their quality of life.
Take Valerie Erlenbausch, for example, who traded her life as a Corpsman in the U.S. military to fully embrace a nomadic lifestyle. She found the perfect remote role with Dakota Lithium in her role as Sales and Marketing Manager. Dakota Lithium converted a company-branded van with 680ah of lithium batteries and a full off-grid setup, including Starlink, which allows Valerie to spend up to three weeks off-grid, without the need to plug in. Her job? To travel between expos, showcasing her van, her lifestyle and the brand. Valerie’s story reflects on the lazy girl job lifestyle, not for being lazy, but for redefining work on her own terms—in Valerie’s case, being employed while traveling around North America.
But the label is anything but a joke for women seeking jobs on their own terms. Suzanne Ctvrtlik, an Upwork freelancer who went straight from college to a career path outside of the traditional nine-to-five, is now the founder and CEO of Retrospective Media, a six-figure remote graphic design agency. “The ‘Lazy Girl Job’ and ‘Girl Boss’ labels suggest that meeting your job description is insufficient, and places a misleading spotlight on gender, rather than critiquing the corporate norms that lead to burnout,” Ctvrtlik told me in an email. “The core of what most professionals are looking for is balance, not an opportunity to be lazy. If they’re not finding fulfillment through their careers, they’re aiming to choose jobs that are flexible enough to allow them the time to pursue their passions elsewhere. If they can’t find that either, many are opting for freelance work for greater control over their working conditions. With my graphic design agency, I’ve discovered that by curating my client list and selecting projects I’m genuinely excited about, I’ve not only reduced my work hours but have also been able to deliver higher quality work to clients.”
New Study Debunks ‘Lazy Girl Reasons’
A recent Upwork study polled 1,000 U.S. hiring managers and analyzed how Gen Zers are already shaping the workforce bringing unique perspectives around skills, flexibility and the type of work arrangements they want. Their findings showed that 43% of all Gen Zers have ventured into freelancing but for other than “lazy girl reasons”:
- To pursue work they’re passionate about and find more meaningful
- To take more control over their personal development and career path
- To have flexibility in their schedule (i.e., what days or times they work)” and control over the work they do, who they do it for and when they do it
Key findings include:
- Gen Zers are more likely to work for companies that engage knowledge freelancers: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Zers say they work for a company that uses freelancers, compared to 67% of millennials, 58% of Gen Xers and 53% of baby boomers.
- Younger generations are more likely to engage freelancers in the future: 65% of Gen Zers and 78% of millennials say they plan to use more freelancers over the next five years than they do today.
- Gen Zers recognize that freelancers are part of a full talent strategy: In fact, 61% of Gen Zers believe that using freelancers is a very effective lever for building talent pipelines, which compares to 47% of millennials, 35% of Gen Xers and 37% of baby boomers.
- Gen Zers plan to keep remote work around: Nine out of ten Gen Zers and 82% of millennials say they are much more likely to redesign work toward remote as a key recruiting lever. This compares to only 71% of Gen Xers and 59% of baby boomers.
“While the idea of ‘lazy girl jobs’ is an entertaining concept,” James Neave told me by email, “employees are serious about prioritizing mental health in the workplace—whether that’s a remote, hybrid or in-person setting.” The head of data science at Adzuna, Neave insists that, “Burnout is prolific, and demand for workers is exceeding supply in almost every industry. Despite all the hype, in such a tight jobs market employers should divert their attention away from the word ‘lazy’ and nip hustle culture in the bud by focusing on supporting continued work-life balance even as summer comes to an end.”
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