San Francisco Frontiers - Gen Z Workers in Korea Prioritize Boundaries Over Career Ladder

For a growing segment of Generation Z in South Korea, leaving the office on time holds greater value than completing every assigned task. This demographic is increasingly challenging long-standing workplace expectations rooted in loyalty, voluntary overtime, and deference to senior colleagues. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder, many young workers find the avoidance of permanent position responsibilities more appealing.

These shifting attitudes were highlighted during a roundtable discussion organized by the Hankook Ilbo, where participants examined their views on career advancement and workplace relationships. The dialogue revealed both generational divides and internal contradictions among younger employees who demand clearer boundaries yet sometimes struggle to meet similar expectations when they assume leadership roles themselves.

The contrast between current youth attitudes and previous generations is stark. For Korea’s Generation X, now largely in their 50s, staying late at the office was historically viewed as a badge of dedication. This cultural norm was famously depicted in Park Wan-suh’s 2000 novel "A Very Old Joke," which portrayed a workaholic finding reassurance in the illuminated windows of an office building, believing that longer hours equated to professional success.

Today, that culture of company loyalty and voluntary overtime is being actively resisted. One roundtable participant reported that four out of five friends they surveyed would refuse to work overtime voluntarily, even with unfinished tasks remaining. "Some think it's the company's fault for assigning work that can't be completed during regular hours," the participant noted, adding that these workers reject a culture where overtime becomes the standard expectation.

However, the participants also acknowledged that the issue is not solely one of employer responsibility. Another participant questioned whether the problem might stem from individual capability rather than corporate policy. "Couldn't it be a matter of their own ability rather than the company's fault?" they asked. The first participant countered that these workers generally believe they are doing their best but are continually burdened with additional work.

The willingness to stay late also depends heavily on industry and job nature. One participant noted that a friend in web design stays late when necessary because missing a deadline would create more significant problems later. Conversely, another participant whose job involves laboratory experiments stated that leaving an unfinished experiment simply because the workday ended was not an option. "I stayed about 30 minutes late today because an experiment ran longer than expected," they said.

Despite these exceptions, skepticism toward mandatory overtime remains high. One participant questioned managers who routinely assign workloads that cannot reasonably be completed without extra hours. Some participants also acknowledged that proper compensation for overtime could make employees more willing to stay late, suggesting that financial incentive rather than loyalty drives current behavior.

A significant source of tension in modern Korean workplaces is the concept of "work sense"—the ability to anticipate tasks without explicit instructions. One participant described a friend who, on their second day as an intern, was told by a supervisor to "try to figure out what kind of work you should be doing here." The intern found this instruction vague and irresponsible.

"Some of my friends think giving clear instructions is part of a supervisor's job, and that's one reason supervisors are paid more," the participant explained. Another roundtable member argued that expecting newcomers to demonstrate initiative before accumulating sufficient experience is unreasonable. "Being able to do more than you're told comes from years of experience and knowledge," they said.

Taking initiative also carries risks for young employees. One participant noted that making a mistake while performing unfamiliar tasks can be worse than being criticized for lacking initiative. Consequently, many young workers prefer to do exactly what they are told to avoid liability. While some argued that unfamiliar assignments provide valuable learning opportunities, they emphasized that supervisors must first create an environment where mistakes are accepted as part of the learning process.

"It would help if they said, 'It's OK to make mistakes. Just approach it as a learning experience,'" one participant suggested. Disagreements also emerged regarding how supervisors verify understanding. One participant found the standard question "Do you understand?" unpleasant, comparing it to being tested, and suggested that asking newcomers to explain their understanding would be more effective.

Artificial intelligence has also altered how younger workers seek help. One participant noted that a friend now turns to AI first for technical questions rather than immediately asking senior colleagues. Another observed that even when told to feel free to ask questions, it is difficult to take that literally because everyone is busy and under pressure. "You want to figure out as much as possible yourself and only ask questions that the supervisor alone can answer," they said.

The discussion also revealed a dilemma surrounding promotion. While higher positions bring greater authority, they also come with increased responsibility—a burden not every young worker desires. One participant shared that a friend would rather keep working as an intern to avoid that responsibility. "If making a lot of money isn't the goal, they'd prefer to stay in a position with fewer responsibilities," the participant said.

Another participant described a shift in their own career outlook. Initially hoping for a conventional path where salary and responsibilities gradually increased, they decided to broaden their skills and take on substantial assignments while learning opportunities existed, after realizing their current workplace did not offer such structure. Some suggested that employees who view their jobs as stepping stones to other companies have little incentive to develop emotional attachments to their current employers.

The conversation took an ironic turn when participants reflected on their own behavior after moving into positions where they had to train others or hand over responsibilities. One participant admitted to preparing detailed handover documents before leaving a previous job because they remembered the difficulty of obtaining information from senior colleagues when they first joined.

However, another participant admitted falling short of the standards they once expected. "When I was learning the job, I wished there had been proper documentation," they said. "But once I was the one responsible for teaching someone else, I found I didn't have enough time, and honestly, it was a hassle." This participant noted that preparing handover documents kept getting postponed because the task did not directly contribute to immediate performance evaluations.

"I realized that was one of my own limitations," they said. Another participant suggested this reflects a broader organizational weakness, arguing that companies should have established proper documentation systems initially. The employee who struggled with handover materials agreed, noting they had asked the company to provide such a system but were instead told to create it themselves. "That really took the wind out of my sails," they said.

T.Rivera--SFF