Are Gen Z professionals truly not hungry enough at work?

For many young professionals who entered the workforce in recent years, the grind never really seems to end. They clock unpaid overtime, juggle multiple internships - sometimes even delaying graduation to gain more work experience first - and take on projects that are out-of-scope, or start a side hustle, in a bid to differentiate themselves.

So when recruiter Lee Shulin remarked on a podcast that she struggles to hire Gen Z candidates because they lack “hunger” — and that companies are hiring foreign talent over Singaporeans because they are “hungrier” in the workplace — it’s no surprise it struck a nerve. 

Against a backdrop of companies laying off employees and relocating headquarters out of Singapore, the suggestion that locals simply lacked drive felt like salt in an already open wound. But is it really true that Singaporeans aren’t hungry enough?

On paper, the accusation feels difficult to reconcile. After all, Singapore had the longest working hours per week in the Asia-Pacific, according to a 2022 survey done by workspace innovators The Instant Group. Not to mention we are among the top sleep-deprived nations, according to a 2024 survey by YouGov, which experts largely attribute to prioritising work and productivity. 

Which raises an important question: if we’re already sacrificing sleep, working long hours and constantly trying to stay productive, why does it still feel like we’re not doing enough? 

Perhaps the answer lies in how we define “hunger” in today’s job market. Listening to Lee’s full comments, her point wasn’t necessarily that young Singaporeans are lazy. Rather, she argued that many entry-level tasks are becoming increasingly vulnerable to artificial intelligence (AI). 

Given that AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can summarise information, draft reports and perform administrative work in seconds, we should think about what makes our skillset different and hence, indispensable. 

What employers increasingly want are people who can demonstrate initiative, communicate effectively, build relationships and show leadership potential — qualities that are harder to automate or teach. Lee also pointed to a worrying trend she sees among candidates: an inability to confidently explain what they do, carry conversations with strangers or demonstrate influence beyond technical skills. 

So the real point of reflection here isn’t whether you’re working hard enough. It’s whether you’re developing the skills that will continue to matter as AI becomes more embedded in the workplace. Your edge may no longer come from how many hours you put in, but from the distinctly human qualities that technology can’t easily replicate.