Gen Z employees have confessed to streaming TV shows and movies during work hours when at home, with nearly half of them admitting to lying about it to their employers. While remote work is often criticized for potential unproductivity, some human resource experts believe that for Gen Z, streaming might merely be a form of white noise, allowing them to remain productive.
Remote work has been noted to induce feelings of loneliness, lacking the social interactions typically offered by office environments. Streaming shows or movies may fill this void or, for some, act as a distraction. According to a survey conducted by the streaming TV service Tubi and released in March 2023, 84% of Gen Z employees admitted to streaming while working remotely, with 53% delaying work tasks to complete a binge-watching session.
Cynthia Clevenger, senior vice president of B2B marketing at Tubi, pointed out that as hybrid working becomes the norm, the line between work and entertainment increasingly overlaps. For many Gen Z employees, streaming is not just passive background noise but part of how they manage breaks, maintain stimulation, or even enhance their concentration throughout the workday.
The prevalence of remote and hybrid work models has also led to a sense of distrust among employers, who find it challenging to monitor employee activities as rigorously as they could in an office setting. Some companies are expressing frustration with remote work models, citing concerns over decreased productivity, reduced working hours, and diminished coworker connections. Notably, Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s CEO, has criticized remote work, requiring his employees to return to the office full-time and asserting that it is less suitable for younger generations.
A study by Workhuman, a company specializing in employee recognition and engagement, found that millennials and Gen Z are more inclined to engage in “fauxductivity,” or pretending to work. Over 30% of respondents from these age groups admitted to faking work activities, as revealed in a 2024 survey of 3,000 full-time employees across the U.S., UK, and Ireland.
While there are arguments concerning the impact of remote work on productivity, some HR leaders attribute these patterns to broader workplace issues. Meisha-ann Martin, senior director of people analytics and research at Workhuman, emphasized that employees face significant professional and personal stressors, with burnout and disengagement affecting their well-being.
HR leaders are encouraging employers to adapt to this changing behavior, particularly because Gen Z has grown up in a digital-first environment, leading to different work habits than older generations. Simran Bhatia, head of people operations at Reality Defender, suggests that having media in the background can enhance focus for some, serving as “body doubling.” Bhatia encourages a focus on trust rather than suspicion regarding whether work is being completed despite streaming.
The Tubi survey disclosed that nearly 50% of Gen Z workers confessed to deceiving their bosses about their streaming habits during work hours. Additionally, over half of Gen Z respondents expressed reluctance to return to office settings, fearing the loss of their ability to stream content during work; however, HR leaders believe it is more about retaining their autonomy.
Patrice Lindo, CEO of Career Nomad, argues that understanding and adapting to these shifts in attention, rather than punishing streaming habits, is essential. Ultimately, this reflects a need for companies to reimagine workplace dynamics considering generational changes.
