Why Work Feels Weird Right Now

Turns out we’re living through both a work and values crisis

Hi, I’m Shelbi Jones! Define “Normal” is for people in the messy middle of becoming themselves, while navigating change, holding joy and hard things, and figuring out what it means to live as their truest selves. I share personal stories, cultural commentary, and practical reflections to make self-work feel less lonely.

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It’s been a rough week for the team. We lost Diane Keaton and D’Angelo. I was teary-eyed as I scrolled through all the tributes.

me for the past few days

So, let’s lighten the mood and talk about work. Shall we?

The Values Gap at Work

Recently, I read a white paper titled "Hiring Managers and Gen Z Priorities," which explores the growing values gap in today’s workforce. It draws from The Values Bridge (which you know I love), and the results were striking.

Hiring managers overwhelmingly favor values tied to productivity and visible performance:

• Achievement (30%) – professional success

• Scope (23%) – learning and action

• Workcentrism (22%) – comfort with hard work

Together, those account for 75% of hiring managers’ top priorities.

In contrast, Gen Z values:

• Eudemonia – well-being and self-care

• Non Sibi – helping others

• Voice – authenticity and expression

Only 2% of Gen Z rank all three hiring-preferred values in their top five.

What Gen Z Wants (and Why It Matters)

I recently witnessed this play out when a Gen Z friend asked to discuss my corporate life. He’s never had a corporate job, but he’s impressive. He has built a business, worked with notable partners, and has been awarded for his work. During our call, he mentioned that he has been craving more stability (understandably, the world’s a mess) and is considering a corporate job. But when I suggested a company where I have a connection that fits into the niche he’s excited about, he admitted, “I just don’t get their product.” (derogatory)

That entire conversation was a display of eudemonia, non-sibi, and voice. He wants a role where he can have the space for life outside of work, in an industry tied to the well-being of people, and he wants to be able to utilize his expertise from building his past businesses. I love it when the data is right. His reaction wasn’t wrong, but I value achievement (professional success) more than eudemonia (self-care), so I would have taken a meeting with the contact even if I wasn’t interested in the product, simply because it brought me closer to my goals.

The study confirmed what I’d been noticing since before I left the corporate world. The disconnect isn’t solely about work ethic. It’s about values.

Most of Gen Z isn’t pretending. And with Gen X and Boomers still in leadership, the differences in our values can feel off.

Only one of those top hiring values, achievement, is in my personal top five values. Scope and workcentrism are mid-tier for me. I grew up in the girlboss era, when we drank the company’s mission like Kool-Aid because playing that role was what success looked like. I often found myself pretending, unfortunately.

The Tension We’re All Feeling

Work is undergoing a significant cultural shift. Gen Z openly wants to live fuller lives where work doesn’t define their entire personality. They want to build their world around self-care, authenticity, and helping others.

The model of work that we have historically existed in, and the one that hiring managers still prioritize, centers professional success, learning, and hard work. That’s what’s causing tension everywhere, from Zoom meetings to family dinners.

It makes sense that work feels strange right now. Maybe the goal isn’t to close the gap, but to recognize that it exists. Once we do, we can stop trying to fit into the old idea of success and start creating one that feels authentic to us, or at least have the words to explain it as we keep navigating the workforce as it is today.

As always, thank you for reading Define Normal. Please feel free to send me a message to continue the conversation. Otherwise, you can find me on IG, TikTok, or the Define Normal podcast.