Meaning of work: Gen Z’s perspective
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
13676261
eISSN
14699680
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105031110242
Journal Title
Journal of Youth Studies
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Youth Studies (2026)
Suggested Citation
Sakdiyakorn M., Golubovskaya M., Solnet D. Meaning of work: Gen Z’s perspective. Journal of Youth Studies (2026). doi:10.1080/13676261.2026.2633153 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/115512
Title
Meaning of work: Gen Z’s perspective
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Author's Affiliation
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Abstract
This study applies Rosso et al.’s (2010) meaningful work pathways to explore how Gen Z workers construct meaning across diverse structural and cultural contexts. Drawing on qualitative data from LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) workshops with 105 participants in Thailand and Australia, it examines how young workers navigate autonomy, precarity, and identity within differing socio-economic conditions. Findings reveal that work function as a vehicle of agency and growth through skill development, autonomy, and recognition, yet tensions arise between authenticity and obligation amid economic and cultural pressures. Participants blur boundaries between work and life, viewing both as interconnected sources of purpose and well-being. Cross-cultural and intersectional factors–including familial duty, class, and migration–further shape meaning-making, highlighting the dynamic interplay between individual aspiration and structural constraint.