“It’s PR, Not the ER”: Gen Z Is Redefining the Meaning of a Work ‘Emergency’

Generation Z is pushing back against constant urgency at work, redefining what gets called an “emergency” and demanding boundaries. Here’s what this means for employers, job-seekers and the future of work.

In recent years, employers have grown accustomed to a culture of constant urgency: fire drills at all hours, last-minute pivots, “do-or-die” slides, and 24/7 connectivity. However, as reported in a recent article by The Washington Post, younger workers from Generation Z are saying: “It’s PR, not the ER.” They’re refusing to treat every task like a life-or-death crisis.

Why now? Because Gen Z, entering the workforce amid pandemic disruption, economic instability and worsening burnout, is redefining what work means, what balance means, and what an “emergency” actually is. For employers, managers and recruiters, this shift isn’t just a nuisance, it’s a signal that workplace culture must evolve.

1. Who Gen Z is and what they value.
2. How the “emergency culture” is being resisted.
3. The implications for organisations, managers and job-seekers.
4. Practical strategies for adapting to this change.

1. Who is Generation Z and what do they value?

Defining Gen Z

Generation Z generally includes people born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s. They are the first true digital natives: they have grown up with smartphones, social media, and instantaneous connectivity.

Key characteristics & workplace expectations

• Pragmatic & independent: Gen Z workers tend to view their career path as their own responsibility. For example, one study found 76 % believe their career progression is up to them.
• Work-life balance over climbing the ladder: According to a global survey, only about 6 % of Gen Z say their primary career goal is to reach leadership.
• Flexibility matters: 73 % of Gen Z employees say they want permanent flexible work alternatives (different from the traditional 9-5).
• Technology & communication preferences: They prefer instant messaging, authenticity, and showing personality at work. For instance, 97 % say it’s important to show their personality at work.
• Values matter: Diversity, equity and inclusion rate highly. Good pay is also fundamental.
• Disengagement risk: On the flip side, Gen Z reports fairly high disengagement levels: only 31 % say they are engaged at work, while 54 % say they’re not engaged.

2. What does “emergency culture” in the workplace mean – and how is Gen Z pushing back?

What is “emergency culture”?

In many workplaces, especially in corporate, marketing, tech or creative roles, scenes like these occur: urgent “all-hands” emails at 9pm; last-minute pivoting of projects; constant “This is an emergency” demands; “we need this yesterday” culture; working weekends; little respect for boundaries.

The phrase from the Washington Post article encapsulates this: some Gen Z workers realized that what they were treating as emergencies weren’t truly life-or-death for the business, they were sometimes hype or poor planning.

How Gen Z is resisting

• Calling out the “fake emergency”: The meme “It’s PR, not the ER” speaks volumes: that the perceived crisis is often less urgent than presented.
• Setting boundaries: Gen Z workers are pushing back when asked to drop everything for tasks that may not align with their role or job description, or that come with no reward.
• Reassessing value and cost: One young worker asked: “What are the things in my life that I would consider an emergency? What are the things in my life that are most important?”
• Demanding clarity around priorities: Some workers negotiate with their managers: “If you ask me to handle this emergency, what am I dropping?” This opens dialogue about realistic workloads.
• Mental health awareness: Having entered the workforce during stressful times (pandemic, layoffs, uncertainty), Gen Z is less willing to accept burnout as “the cost of doing business”.

Why now?

• The pandemic disrupted norms, blurred the boundary between work and life, and accelerated remote/hybrid.
• Economic uncertainty and high cost of living mean that sacrifices don’t always lead to reward.
• The expectation that “hard work = loyalty = reward” is less trusted among younger workers.

3. Implications for recruiters, employers and job-seekers

For employers & organisations

• Culture must evolve: If your workplace treats every task like an emergency by default, you risk push-back, burnout and turnover, especially among Gen Z.
• Clarify what “urgent” means: Managers should help staff distinguish between true emergencies and “business as usual” tasks dressed as crises.
• Support healthy boundaries: Build policy around after-hours communication, reasonable deadlines, recognition of extra effort.
• Prioritise purpose & growth: Since Gen Z values meaningful work, development & fairness, simply shifting deadlines or asking for sacrifices without reward may erode engagement.
• Flexible work matters: Whether hybrid, remote or flexible hours, Gen Z expects work-life integration.
• Retain adaptability: Recognise that Gen Z’s language and communication style may differ (instant messaging, digital first).

For recruiters & hiring teams

• Be transparent about workload and culture: Describe expectations clearly, including how “emergency” or last-minute tasks are handled.
• Offer roles with flexibility: Highlight how your company supports boundaries, realistic working hours and employee wellbeing.
• Show growth and purpose: Job descriptions should emphasise more than tasks, highlight learning, values, inclusive culture.
• Manage expectations: If your role genuinely demands frequent “emergencies”, be upfront. This helps find candidates aligned with that pace.

For job-seekers (Gen Z or otherwise)

• Ask pointed questions in interviews: e.g., “How often do true emergencies come up?”, “What’s the typical weekend/out-of-hours workload?”, “How does the team define ‘urgent’ vs ‘important’?”
• Clarify scope & boundaries: If asked to drop everything for a sudden task, check what will be reprioritised, how compensation or recognition happens.
• Reflect on your non-negotiables: What are your limits around after-hours work? What kind of culture aligns with your priorities?
• Engage in dialogue with managers: If you feel constantly working “emergencies”, schedule a conversation: “Here’s what’s on my plate… how should I prioritise?”
• Protect wellbeing: Treat your personal time, mental health, relationships and broader life purpose with care. If work consistently treats everything as a crisis, ask: is this sustainable?

4. Practical strategy: For organisations to adapt & benefit

Here’s a checklist / framework for companies (and recruiters) to align with the emerging Gen Z mindset and the rejection of constant emergency culture:

A. Define & limit “emergency”

• Develop internal criteria: what really qualifies as an emergency (e.g., client critical issue, regulatory risk) vs ask-for-help task.
• Communicate this clearly to staff so expectations are consistent.
• Track how many tasks fall into “real emergency” vs avoidable urgent.

B. Monitor workload & after-hours demand

• Use pulse surveys to ask: How often did you feel you had to act after hours this week?
• If > X % staff report “emergency mode” frequently, investigate root causes (workflow issues, unrealistic deadlines, understaffing).
• Encourage managers to approve and prioritise tasks based on team capacity.

C. Promote healthy boundaries

• Set policies: reasonable response times, clear expectations for after-hours contact, encourage “time off” and recovery.
• Train leaders in recognising burnout signs and modelling behaviour (e.g., leaving on time, no Slack outside hours).
• Recognise extra work appropriately (comp time, bonuses, recognition) rather than treating it as the norm.

D. Align role & expectations

• In job descriptions, clearly outline typical workload, flexibility, growth path and culture.
• During onboarding, communicate how urgencies are handled and what support systems exist.
• Regularly review with employees: Are the demands aligned with role? Are they manageable?

E. Foster open communication

• Encourage employees (especially younger ones) to talk when they feel overwhelmed: “Here’s what I’m juggling, can we re-prioritise?”
• Train managers to ask proactively: “Do you feel like everything coming in is urgent or can we plan ahead?”
• Create transparent escalation paths for tasks and emergencies, so everyone understands when something truly is a crisis.

F. Leverage Gen Z strengths

• Use Gen Z’s comfort with digital tools and quick communication to streamline workflows and reduce the frequency of “emergencies”.
• Recognise that Gen Z values authentic purpose and fairness, integrate this into employer branding, retention programmes.
• Encourage innovation: If the team is constantly in “reactive mode”, ask Gen Z members for ideas on how to reduce chaos and build smoother processes.