What employers can learn from the new #lazygirljob trend

TikTok is home to the latest workplace trend: lazy girls. The #lazygirljob hashtag currently has about 14 million views!

This trend sees women, typically Gen Z (people in their early 20s), encouraging others to take on ‘lazy girl jobs.’ They want to finance their lifestyle but don’t care if they’re not paid especially well. 

According to the 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey by Deloitte, 49% of Gen Z people say work is central to their identity, compared to 62% of millennials. This shows that people’s motives behind job hunting vary significantly. What is important to some will be irrelevant to others.

TikTok ‘lazy girls’ are not necessarily being lazy. Like so much of the wider workforce, they are looking for personalisation at work.

‘(I am) realising at this age that I don’t care about building a ‘career’ or climbing the corporate ladder,’ says one participant in the trend. ‘All I want to do is make the most amount of money working the least number of hours so I can spend the majority of my time with my family, living life on my own terms instead of spending 40 years working for a boss who’s paying what they think is ‘fair.’’’

Personalisation at work

To stand out as an employer of choice, you must embrace personalisation at work. Tailoring the employee experience to individual needs and preferences not only enhances engagement but also boosts retention rates and attracts new talent.

A ‘groundbreaking’ union agreement was recently announced, allowing thousands of public sector employees to work from home as much as they like. This shouldn't be groundbreaking. This should be the norm!

Recruitment is marketing. Rather than looking at talent attraction as the process of acquiring people, promote your employer brand, and sell your organisation as a great place to work. By demonstrating how your organisation can work for the individual, you can show that you care about the person rather than just a potential employee.

Personalisation is also a way to stay ahead of competitors. According to McKinsey, people aged between 18 and 34 are 59% more likely to walk away from their job if there are no options for hybrid work.

A better employer brand leads to a better employee experience

Although personalisation at work is designed to enhance the employee experience, it also helps establish an amazing employer brand. Your employer brand defines who you are as an employer and why you are the best place for talent.

Dave Ulrich, a thought partner on human capability, talks about how an organisation has the power to shape how people think, act and feel. In his research, he found that regarding business outcomes, ‘organisation capabilities (culture, systems, workplace) matter 4 times more than individual competencies (talent).’ Before you can improve the employee experience, you must provide the best working environment. Allowing flexibility and the option to personalise your work will make this possible.

Final thoughts

Trends come and go. It doesn’t really matter what it is. What’s important is what it reveals about the mindset of talent in today’s market. Trends provide an insight into what people value in a workplace so that employers can work on establishing a great employer brand that engages, retains and attracts talent.

For more insights, visit the Heart Talent blog.