Gen Z Needs To Realize The Meritocracy Is Alive And Well
David Campbell is a Moncton-based economic development consultant and co-host of the Huddle podcast, Insights. The following piece was originally published on his blog, It’s the Economy, Stupid!, on Substack.
Stephanie Bai has written a great article defending Gen Z’s determination to have a better work-life balance than older generations. It’s called You’re Wrong About Gen Z: Young Canadians like me are fighting for saner, happier, healthier working lives. What we achieve could transform work for everyone — and it makes a well-articulated case.
There is only one point I would like to make.
I know the last thing Gen Z wants is an old Gen X hectoring them about what they should and shouldn’t do. But, for what it is worth, I have talked to my three Gen Z kids about it (with, possibly, some success?) and I have my one little piece of advice.
Employers will go out of their way to accommodate Gen Z. There will be mental health insurance, safe spaces, and a deep and sincere commitment to diversity and inclusion. They will go to great lengths to make the workplace conform to what the new generation of workers wants.
And then they will promote the best and brightest and hardest-working young people.
I’m not saying the yardsticks aren’t moving a little on this, but in a capitalist and competitive economy and society excellence will still have preeminence. Yes, all the young hockey players should get a participation medal but only a tiny handful will become Connor McDavid. You are not going to win a Nobel Prize unless you are the best in your field.
I saw this when I was in government. I would go into meetings with ambitious 20–30-year-olds and I could tell which were going to be promoted. Now, five years later, many of them have.
I work with several companies and have lots of clients. The focused, hard-working, and ambitious young people are still rising to the top; they are adding tremendous value to their organizations.
Because, the truth is, companies need to be excellent or their competitors will put them out of business. And excellence in most organizations is based on the quality of the workforce. This applies in the public sector as well. We have huge challenges facing us and we need young people coming in with passion to address those challenges.
Again, I’m not equating hard work, ambition, and striving for excellence with hours worked. And, in fact, working too much might harm your productivity and your ability to thrive in the workplace.
When I came back to New Brunswick after university in the early 1990s, it was almost impossible to find a job. So, when I found a three-month gig, I was determined to make myself invaluable and turn three months into three years; I hoped the employer would not want to let me go, and that is exactly what happened.
But I worked 60-70 hours a week and, unbelievably looking back, didn’t go on a single date in two-and-a-half years.
I’m not suggesting any Gen Z follow that path. But I am recommending – for what it is worth – to strive for excellence: make yourself invaluable no matter how menial that first or second job is because your career still matters. Being excellent in life still matters.
If you think the E in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) means that everyone will have the same career success as everyone else, you haven’t been paying attention.
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