Talent   //   October 31, 2024

Gen Z watches an hour of TV during workday

Remote workers often find time to slip in household tasks and other duties during the workday, but also leisure activities — like watching TV. In fact, Gen Z employees are watching almost an hour of TV daily while working, according to an analysis from TollFreeForwarding.com based on time use survey data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

In a year, they can watch the entire series of Friends — all 236 episodes — nearly two and a half times over, that report found. And ultimately they are paid over $8,000 a year to watch TV, according to the report.

Sounds like a problem.

However, while watching TV, napping, exercising and other activities may be seen as a productivity hit mid-workday, workers argue they are actually making them more productive by keeping them engaged while multitasking, or allowing them to step away and take brief breaks then come back refreshed. 

ERIC, a job search platform for creative careers, knows Gen Z staff are watching TV during the workday and have no problem with it. Out of 8 staff members, 6 are Gen Z, and they’ve admitted they enjoy watching TV in the background while doing certain tasks. ERIC staff all work remotely, and “we see it as one of the perks of WFH,” said Samantha Hornsby, cofounder.

“We are a kind of outcome-driven business, so as long as you get the work done, we don’t really mind how you do it,” said cofounder Mae Yip. “While you’re doing a monotonous task, it’s pretty much the same as listening to music,” she said. 

“While you're doing a monotonous task, it's pretty much the same as listening to music."
Mae Yip, cofounder of creative job search platform ERIC.

Some research suggests that a moderate level of ambient noise can actually boost creativity. And remote work can be isolating and understimulating without real social interactions and connections, and can include quite intense periods of work, Yip said. TV can serve as a bit of a replacement for lost socialization and activity when playing in the background.

Employers who view it as a productivity hit need to reconsider younger generations’ new ways of working and values when it comes to the way they get their jobs done, Yip said. It also comes as more staff identify with being neurodiverse, and many developed new working styles tailored to their individual preferences while working from home.

For some staff with ADHD, watching TV while working can be a similar experience to working in a coffee shop — offering enough stimulation to enhance their focus on the work tasks at hand. Body-doubling is another working style popularized during the age of remote work, where staff simply work quietly next to one another. It’s another strategy some workers with ADHD find helpful to enhance their stimulation and focus. 

Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon, a digital marketing agency, has also noticed Gen Z incorporating TV time in their days with “mini-breaks” spent watching videos and clips on streaming platforms or their smartphones.  

“These mini-breaks, like watching a quick episode, TikTok shorts or YouTube clips, offer a way to recharge in short bursts, keeping them refreshed and more engaged when they return to their tasks. TV or content streaming can offer a mental reset, similar to the way others might use a walk or a meditation break,” he said.