90% of Gen Z find workplace cheating acceptable

Career Catfishing: A Growing Trend

Career catfishing is the act of accepting a job offer but only showing up for one day—or not showing up at all. This trend aligns with other behaviors Gen Z has been pursuing recently, redefining the hiring and human resources market.

To better understand the motivations driving individuals to abandon newly secured positions, how often Gen Z and young Millenials quiet vacation, and which other “cheating” methods are deemed acceptable by younger generations, we surveyed 2,000 Americans aged 18–34 from across the United States.

Key Findings Include:

• 29% of Gen Z and young Millennials career catfished recently.
• Coffee badgers are doing so because they:
  • Desire flexibility in their workday (63%)
  • Prefer to work in another location (43%)
  • Want to avoid confrontations or interactions with colleagues (42%)
• Every second respondent quiet vacationed at least once during the last year.
• 95% of respondents believe workplace cheating—such as clocking out earlier, napping, and using corporate software for personal matters—is acceptable, with many admitting to having done at least one of the 15 shortcuts we asked about.
• Career catfishing is becoming a widely recognizable term, with only 37% of respondents unaware of its meaning.

Career Catfishing as a Social Phenomenon

• 31% admitted to having done it during the last year, and an additional 20% have friends who abandoned their newly secured job just after one day.
• 21% of “catfishers” stated they did so on a dare.
• Over 90% of respondents admitted to having taken multiple forms of “shortcuts.”

This trend highlights a general shift in attitudes toward work-life balance and workplace expectations, as the stigma around workplace “cheating” is decreasing, often backed by mental health considerations.

Rule-Bending Methods Used by More Than 10% of Respondents:

1. Clocking out earlier (34%)
2. Calling in sick when not actually ill to take an unplanned day off (27%)
3. Starting late without notice (18%)
4. “Quiet quitting” by putting in minimal effort (16%)
5. Using AI to complete tasks (14%)
6. Napping during work hours while working remotely (11%)
7. Logging more hours than actually worked (11%)
8. Utilizing company tools or software for personal hobbies or freelance work (10%)

The Rise of Coffee Badging

Another approach gaining attention is coffee badging—clocking in on-site just long enough to sip coffee in the kitchen with a colleague and then spending the day working remotely elsewhere.

• For 36% of respondents who have done it up to 10 times or more in the last year, the main reasons were:
  • Desire for flexibility in the workday (66%)
  • Preference for working in a different location (41%)
  • Avoiding unnecessary interactions or distractions (32%)
  • The office environment feels unproductive (22%)
  • Commuting convenience (24%)

Quiet Vacationing: A Sad Discovery

Quiet vacationing refers to taking time off without notifying a manager while maintaining the appearance of working.

• 51% of respondents admitted to having done this up to three times last year.
• 12% admitted to doing so even more frequently.

 Does this mean that half of Gen Z are just being lazy? We don’t think so. The hard data speaks for itself, leaving no place for speculation.

Reasons Behind Quiet Vacationing:

• Mental strain or burnout (46%)
• Inability to take PTO for family matters (36%)
• Limited or no PTO availability (31%)
• Difficulty getting PTO approved during holidays (28%)
• Remote working is prohibited (7%)

Interestingly, only one respondent stated they did it “just because they can.”

What Motivates Gen Z to Work Hard?

• Pay raises: Unsurprisingly, just over 50% of respondents chose this as the top motivator.
• Positive and less toxic work environments: Ranked second, with 31% of respondents.
• Family-related factors: Surprisingly, this came in third, with respondents citing the need to provide for loved ones.
• Recognition and challenges: Other motivators include the desire for efforts to be recognized and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges.

Methodology: Researchers from PapersOwl surveyed 2,000 members of Generation Z and young Millenials to compile this study. Randomly selected participants were asked to discuss their experiences, with no emphasis on a specific gender, ethnicity, or social background.