There’s no consensus on the ideal number of hours Gen Z workers should clock—but experts agree it’s definitely not “every waking minute,” as Cerebras CEO Andrew Feldman recently suggested. Nor is it the 60-hour “sweet spot” Google co-founder Sergey Brin proposed in an internal memo to Gemini staff earlier this year. While Brin claimed anything less amounts to “bare minimum” effort and demoralizes teams, workplace specialists argue that such expectations are not only unrealistic but harmful over the long term.
The truth, they say, lies somewhere in between—and it’s less about the number on the clock and more about the quality of output.
The Myth of the Magic Number
Fortune spoke with several HR and career experts who emphasized that rigid hour-based benchmarks miss the point. “The lesson for most young professionals is: if you want to get ahead, you’re not going to do it working just 40 hours a week,” said Dan Kaplan, co-head of the CHRO practice at ZRG Partners. But he quickly clarified: “The danger of fixating on 60 hours isn’t the number itself—it’s the mindset that you must work until the job is done, no matter the cost.”
This echoes a long-standing corporate rite of passage: junior employees proving their dedication through late nights and weekend work. Think Wall Street analysts pulling 100-hour weeks or JPMorgan Chase capping first-year bankers at 80 hours after public outcry. Yet even Jamie Dimon—who famously worked through the night during the 2008 financial crisis—has since acknowledged the need for boundaries.
A New Generation, New Expectations
Gen Z entered the workforce amid a cultural shift. The pandemic heightened awareness of mental health and work-life balance, and this cohort brought those values with them. A 2024 A.Team survey shows that 80% of Gen Z workers support a four-day workweek. They’re vocal about boundaries, skeptical of “hustle culture,” and quick to walk away from roles that demand constant availability without purpose.
Still, experts caution against swinging too far in the opposite direction. “Early in your career is when you build foundational skills—and that often requires extra effort,” said Jackie Dube, Chief People Officer at The Predictive Index. “You typically have more energy and fewer external commitments, so it’s a unique window to dive deep.”
Output Over Hours
Rather than chasing a specific hourly target, specialists urge Gen Z to focus on results. “Forget the ‘sweet spot’ in terms of hours,” advised Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at MyPerfectResume. “Think about the sweet spot in terms of output. Did you move the needle? Did you learn something? Did you add value?”
This approach allows flexibility: some weeks may require 35 focused hours; others might demand 50 during a product launch or critical deadline. The key is sustainability. “If you’re expected to sustain 60-hour weeks indefinitely, you’re setting yourself up for burnout, disengagement, and even serious health consequences,” Dube warned.
The Balanced Grind
So what’s the right path for ambitious Gen Z professionals?
Experts suggest a strategic compromise: **go all-in for a season, not a lifetime**. If your goal is rapid growth—especially in high-stakes fields like tech startups—temporarily prioritizing career over convenience can pay dividends. “For the next few years, you might choose to sacrifice personal time to gain experience, visibility, and skills,” Escalera said. “But that doesn’t mean burning out. It means being intentional.”
At the same time, don’t abandon your core values. Gen Z’s insistence on well-being isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. As Kaplan put it: “True success includes health, relationships, and joy—not just promotions and paychecks. There’s a point where relentless work becomes counterproductive.”
There’s no universal formula for the perfect workweek. But one thing is clear: **60 hours a week, indefinitely, is unsustainable**. Instead of counting hours, Gen Z should ask: *Am I growing? Am I contributing? Am I still whole?*
The most successful careers aren’t built on endless grind—they’re built on smart, sustainable effort, with room to breathe.