Millennials screwed up America’s workplace, and now it’s up to Gen Z to fix it. Six years in commercial real estate taught me that CEOs design their workplaces and policies according to the preferences of the dominant generation. The goal isn’t to have the coolest office or innovative culture. It’s to recruit talent.

Millennials (my generation) wanted an open office. We wanted ping-pong tables and craft beer on-tap. We didn’t want separation between work and leisure. We wanted to push work to its limits.

Our dreams became reality, but there were consequences. Anne Helen Peterson, the author of the book Can’t Even: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generationwrote, “millennials, as a generation, are suffering from burnout, a psychological condition characterized by the collapse that follows work.”

There’s hope. The pandemic opened the door to revolution, and corporations are again speculating about the future of work. Where will they go for answers? The next generation in line — Generation Z.

It’s up to you Gen Z. Here’s what you can do to save our failed workplace.

Workspaces should optimize the type of work you’re doing

Most corporations have adopted work-from-home policies since the pandemic. Facebook announced last month that employees could apply to WFH permanently. Twitter’s Jack Dorsey recently said, “employees can work from home forever.” And Nationwide Insurance has no plans of sending people back to the office despite building a 300,000 square foot headquarters only two years ago.

Why aren’t companies eager to send employees back?

Because office space is expensive, and WFH allows them to recruit from a deeper talent pool. WFH is here to stay.

Here’s PSA to Gen Z: Don’t let corporations get everything they want. Your future success and development depend upon it.

Ph.D. Psychologist Ben Hardy says, “work becomes limited and boring when restricted to only one environment.” You need the ability to rotate your surroundings based on the work you’re doing. 100% WFH will not cut it, nor will 9–5 cubicles.

Some work requires isolated areas, free from distraction to complete detailed/focused tasks. Other types of work feed off collaboration, high social energy, and networking to move the needle.

Keep this in mind when applying for jobs, only 16% of creative breakthroughs occur at the office. The majority occur during a commute, on breaks, or at home. Work for companies with multiple workplace options: a collaborative corporate office for networking, free passes at coworking operators, and unlimited WFH.

Discontinue “always be available” culture

Millennials chose to work wherever, whenever. Our default setting became “always be available.” We send emails during dinner, take calls on vacation, and cancel outings with friends and family if work-related issues arise.

Always available came with a nasty side effect: We never learned how to detach from work.

The science is compelling clear about this: At a certain point, more work becomes less. Sabine Sonnetage, an organizational professor at the University of Mannheim in Germany, found that people who don’t unplug from work experience increased exhaustion and become less resilient to stress.

By contrast, placing emotional distance between work and leisure helps the mind recover and increases long-run productivity. Work creates learning and growth, but only if the rest is equally long and deep.

There’s nothing productive about “always available.” That’s just a constant state of stress.

Establish a hard boundary between work and leisure. Apply for companies that respect that boundary.

Demand more feedback from your managers

Millennials possess many positive attributes. Coachability is not one of them. Perhaps it was the participation trophies. Who knows.

Gen Z seems to understand the correlation between failure, feedback, and success. Angela Duckworth, the author of the bestselling book Grit, says, “feedback is an essential part of steering employee growth and cultivating grit. Leaders who give specific, actionable praise and criticism ensure that employees know their strengths and opportunities for growth.”

According to a recent study, 60% of Generation Z workers want multiple check-ins from managers each week! Right now, performance reviews occur once a year, if they happen at all.

That’s a reason for optimism. An entire generation that views constructive feedback, not as a stain against one’s pride, but as an opportunity to learn and grow. Keep that mindset Gen Z.

Requests all the feedback you can get from managers.

Don’t get sucked into the amenity parade

Oh boy did my generation get sucked into the amenity frenzy. We didn’t apply for a job unless the job description contained at least one of the following:

• Ping pong tables
• Kombucha bar
• Craft beer cart @ 4pm
• Meditation rooms
• Virtual reality rooms.

WeWork made a fortune off the amenity bubble. Work while you hang out with friends. Work while you party. Work while you meditate.

We Work, We Live, We Die. Work will set you free.

No, No, No.

Work should be something you enjoy. A part of your life that pushes you beyond what you believe possible. Perks are irrelevant compared to growth potential, company leadership, and salary.

Don’t get sucked into that charade — demand more from your work.

Take unlimited PTOs seriously

Companies ramped up vacation days this year because of the pandemic, and many adopted unlimited PTOs. A policy made famous by Netflix and LinkedIn that says employees can take vacation days whenever they choose.

It’s a wonderful policy because work detachment is about self-awareness. Each of us knows what we need to refill our cup — time constraints don’t help that cause. The execution, however, not so wonderful.

The biggest problem with unlimited PTO is that people take less time off overall. A study found that unlimited PTO employees took an average of 13 vacation days per year compared to the standard 15 days in a fixed policy.

Millennials turned it into a competition — who can take the least vacations. A friend of mine works for a company with unlimited PTO’s and their CEO is now forcing people to take time off!

Use PTO’s wisely. Think of time off as part of the process. You need the rest to come back to the office recharged, ready to learn and grow.

Final words of encouragement for Gen Z

Gen Z, you have an opportunity to save American’s work culture from further anxieties and burnout. Right now, burnout rates are close to 55%. Imagine if your generation could reduce that number to 45%, or even 35%. The things we could create. The things we could accomplish.

Millennials failed. Gen Z, it’s up to you now. No pressure.