Why Gen Z professionals are getting fired so frequently

Where did work ethic go to die?

This week, I’ve got a prime suspect… LAX.

A MAC makeup artist at the airport was fired after posting a “day-in-the-life” TikTok that breached serious security protocols.

The clip included a shot of her TSA badge, her cash drawer setup, timestamps of her shift and even customer interactions.

It all led to her termination. 

Oversharing isn’t a work perk

I watched, stunned. Then I asked myself: what happened to basic professionalism?

For me, filming sensitive work processes, especially anything tied to security or finances, is a line you just don’t cross. 

That’s what got her fired, and it’s a sharp reminder of how high the stakes are when you overshare at work.

My parents raised me with work ethic, and for that, I am thankful. 

I had my first job at 14, working at Hungry Jack’s, and I was expected to understand the value of a dollar.

At that job, I learned the importance of customer service, the idea that people were choosing to invest in the business I represented.

If that meant keeping the drive-through timer under three minutes or tackling another kids’ party in a dodgy fairy costume (all with a smile), then so be it.

I couldn’t imagine asking my boss if I could film my drive-through conversations, like the time I had to explain why someone couldn’t order a McChicken at Hungry Jack’s.

Her reaction would have made me want to crawl into the fryer.

Karen? No. Former waitress with PTSD? Yes.

I was told to smile, be polite, and remember that “the customer is always right.” As I moved into waitressing, that became harder.

Did I want to roll my eyes when someone asked if the buttercream pancakes were vegan? Absolutely. But I smiled. I worked for the tips.

These days, when I pull up to the McDonald’s drive-through, the preteen wordlessly holds out the EFTPOS machine on a stick. Occasionally, they point to the screen. Heaven forbid I tell them I’m paying with cash.

I know I sound like a Karen, but I promise I’m not. I’m always kind to customer service workers, because I’ve been them.

I know how tough it is to deal with real customers and their real problems.

They say you judge a person based on how they treat their waitstaff. Well, I’m judging people on how they treat customers.

Still, if I show up with a smile and politeness, I hope for the same in return. I get that the customer before me might’ve been awful, but that shouldn’t mean I’m met with an eye roll.

Maybe it’s a generational thing. As a millennial, I was taught to grin and bear it. Gen Z and Gen Alpha? They’re not afraid of the resting bitch face. They’ve even given it a name: the Gen Z stare.

And if being openly rude is so common that it has a brand, that says something.

Perhaps as parents, we’ve stopped teaching our kids the value of working hard with a great attitude. That careers aren’t about entitlement. They’re about showing up, respecting the role you’re given, and working your way up.

That’s what I’ll pass on to my son, both through how I approach my own work, and when I encourage him to start his.

Oh, and one more thing: I’ll also tell him to never film it.