We might not croak or hibernate, but Gen Z have earned a new title: the office frogs.
It may feel like the latest insult amongst accusations of being ‘resistant to professionalism’ and lacking in social skills, but being likened to this amphibian isn’t actually a bad thing.
Simply put, it refers to the phenomenon of ‘job-hopping’, which Glassdoor’s Gen Z career expert, Morgan Sanner, recently labelled as the ‘career lily pad’.
Essentially, the younger generation in the workplace are being accused of hopping from opportunity to opportunity based on what suits them at that time. Employees under the age of 28 have kissed the ‘job for life’ attitude of our predecessors goodbye.
But this shouldn’t translate as flaky and unreliable. Instead career expert Liz Sebag-Montefiore says this reflects adaptability rather than disloyalty.
What makes a frog employee?
‘Employers perceive Gen Z as moving between jobs more quickly than previous generations, but this shouldn’t be characterised as a lack of commitment,’ Liz, CEO of HR consultancy 10Eighty, tells Metro.
‘Younger employees are entering the workforce in a context of rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and shifting workplace expectations, so they’re more open to exploring opportunities that align with their values, offer growth, and provide balance.’
Nearly a third of Gen Zers plan to switch employers within the next two years, according to Deloitte’s 2025 survey, and the reason why has much more to do with how we feel, rather than climbing the ladder.
More than half of Gen Z say a job where they feel their work is meaningful is important, and 89% agree this would give them a sense of purpose.
‘Gen Z place strong emphasis on development, purpose, and wellbeing,’ explains Liz. ‘If a role doesn’t provide learning opportunities, fair pay, or a healthy culture, they are more likely to move on rather than tolerate dissatisfaction.’
She adds that social media and professional online networks have made this generation far more aware of alternative opportunities.
Some say office frogs are too sensitive
The idea younger people in the workplace are sensitive and lack resilience in the workplace has been knocking around in the zeitgeist for quite some time.
The New York Post reported 20-somethings are prone to ‘snowflakeism’ and ‘crumble under pressure’, while the BuzzFeed community claimed we don’t want to do ‘any actual work’.
So it’s not surprising, given the Deloitte data found 40% of Gen Z feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time, with 33% saying their job is a major contributor to this.
But Liz says this shouldn’t be viewed as a negative, it simply points to why we hop from said lily pad to lily pad.
‘They’re less willing to accept poor conditions, lack of flexibility, or toxic cultures than perhaps older generations once felt compelled to,’ she says.
‘This heightened sensitivity can be a positive force, pushing organisations to raise standards in areas like inclusion, wellbeing, and employee experience.’
Focus on your own lily pad
Heck, if you want to grumble about younger workers refusing to accept poor working environments, feel free, but Liz suggests adjusting your perspective.
‘The short-term attitude to jobs is often frowned upon because stability and loyalty have historically been valued by employers, and frequent moves can be seen as a risk,’ she explains.
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‘However, a workforce that’s curious, ambitious, and willing to try new things can bring fresh energy and innovation.
‘Rather than criticising Gen Z for moving too often, employers might ask themselves: what could we do differently to make talented employees want to stay longer?’
Maybe employers should be focusing on making their lily pad desirable, rather than blaming a frog for doing something that’s in its nature.
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