Microsoft finds Gen Z is redefining the idea of work hustle in and outside the office

Microsoft has been associated with a traditional definition of office work, long hours in front of a computer, but now the corporate enterprise giant finds Gen Z entrepreneurs disrupting ideas about workplace hustle.

The vice president of retail at Microsoft Store says that there has been a boom in entrepreneurship due to the digital transformation. According to data from WP Engine and the Center for Generational Kinetics, almost two-thirds of Gen Z has begun or intend to begin their own business. According to government data, over 5 million Americans applied to start their own businesses in the year 2021.

Gen Z puts in a lot of work, but it doesn't mean they're doing less work. Entrepreneurs wear multiple hats with flexible work schedules and more consideration for personal time. More than half of Gen Z have at least one side hustle, compared to 34% of small business owners, according to Microsoft. Microsoft data shows that entrepreneurs who use TikTok are more likely to have multiple side hustles than those who don't.

Walter believes that it is important for people to work the way they need to work in order for them to do their best work.

81% of Gen Z entrepreneurs work on vacation, compared to 62% of business owners, according to Microsoft.

According to Philip Gaskin, vice president of entrepreneurship, what do I really want to do is a question being asked more frequently. He said that there was some Gen Z energy.

Gaskin said that Gen Z graduates are coming into the workforce during a time of "rediscovery." Some people who may have been bored of their corporate jobs were given the time to reexamine their lives. Many people who saw an opportunity went for it. There is a boom in business formation. In some cases, it is a function of necessity for people who lost their jobs.

The highest spike in new entrepreneurs has been seen in 2020, with the shift correlated with this. It affects the labor market. Firms less than five years old provided most of the jobs created over the past five years.

Many people see entrepreneurship as a way to fast-track their retirement, which is why Gen-Z is leaning more towards it. More than half of Gen Z small business owners think they will be able to retire sooner than if they had a corporate job, according to a Microsoft survey.

Several businesses have been started by a Gen Zentrepreneur.

Pavan said that he always wanted to build something because he always had a problem-solving mindset.

He came up with the idea of urban mobility after working in various tech niches.

Vade helps reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions by giving citizens real-time parking data.

Left to right: Ritwik Pavan (COO), Christian Burke (CTO) and Matty Schaefer (CEO) of Vade discuss venture plans.

Pavan said that he would love to go find something to solve the problem of parking. He said that the best part about being anentrepreneur is that they are mission-driven and believe that what they do is going to change lives for the better.

Almost all small business owners who prioritize social good say it helped their business grow, according to a survey by Microsoft.

Work hustle has changed. His favorite thing about being a small business owner is the flexibility that comes with the job, but that doesn't mean working fewer hours than a corporate boss.

For the first three years of the company's existence, Pavan and his co-workers worked 18-hour days.

Even if you are responsible for the bad ones, being able to make decisions for your own company makes the long hours worth it.