In recent years, much has been written about Generation Z and its changing relationship with work, school, and success. Research by Owl Labs and Bright Network shows that young people are more likely to “work to rule”, keeping to their contracted hours and expecting clear boundaries between work and personal time. Books such as The Burnout Generation and articles on “quiet quitting” suggest this is a positive step towards healthier balance and fairness. It is true that today’s young adults are more aware of their mental health and more confident about protecting their time.

But while this awareness is valuable, it can also come at a cost. Boundaries can easily become barriers. A generation that views effort mainly through the lens of fairness may find it difficult to distinguish between what is unreasonable and what is simply demanding.

A Shift in Attitude
In earlier years, work and study were not just about meeting requirements, but often also about building character. Staying a little longer, helping at a school event, or supporting a classmate was not seen as extra labour, but as part of belonging to a community. It was how people learned teamwork, discipline, and pride in shared effort. When participation becomes purely transactional, something important is lost.

Exploitation Versus Growth
No one should be taken advantage of, but it is worth remembering that challenge is often what produces growth. The instinct to protect yourself from extra effort can also protect you from experience. The lessons that stay with us are rarely learned when things are easy. They come from persistence, patience, and the willingness to go beyond what is comfortable.

The Consequences of Avoidance
If we avoid difficulty, we also avoid resilience. A culture that prizes convenience will produce individuals who are capable but cautious. Grit, perseverance, and recovery from setbacks are not built in calm conditions. They develop through effort and disappointment, and through finding the strength to try again.

Finding the Balance
The new focus on balance and well-being is not wrong. It simply needs to be matched with endurance and accountability. Balance is not found by avoiding effort, but by knowing when to rest and when to push. Success still depends on the ability to adapt, to commit, and to stay steady when things become hard.

The Future Belongs to the Willing
The world our students will enter is unpredictable. It will reward those who are adaptable, curious, and willing to work for what they want. Sitting back and demanding your rights is not the same as earning them. Sitting back and questioning fairness is not the same as securing your future.

At elc, we continue to believe that grit, determination, and resilience matter. They are not old-fashioned values. They are the qualities that prepare young people to stand firm in a sea of change, and to shape their world with purpose rather than drift with it.

Probably an unpopular view, but popularity has never been important to us.