The report, The Move, The Many Faces of Hustle, examines changing attitudes towards ‘hustle culture’ and how Gen Z is reworking the definition of success to encapsulate their passions. The report also explores the death of the ‘girlboss’, the role of side hustles, and how Gen Z is reacting to the pressures of social media, where 42% said that social media is the key driver of anxiety around productivity.

The study surveyed 260 members of Impero’s real-time research platform, The Move, a global community of Gen Z early adopters across the UK. The research has found that although there is no single reason why young Brits are taking on a side hustle, they are dedicating more time to them, with 17% saying that their ‘side hustle’ is a pure passion activity and 57% of Gen Z spending more than 16 hours a week on them.

Moreover, 38% said that they use the extra income to counteract the economic hardships faced as a result of the pandemic and the rising cost of living.

Impero says the findings provide an opportunity for brands to support self-starters and equip them with the tools they need to turn their passions into financial reward without sacrificing their work-life balance.

The report demonstrates that for brands, hustle culture has long been an easy way to engage younger aspirational audiences. However, Gen Z’s growing consciousness around toxic work cultures means that brands need to modernise their thinking and market towards younger consumers’ new aspirations and updated definition of work and success. 

Zuhur Mohamed, head of research and next-gen culture insights at Impero, said: “We are living at such an unprecedented time, coming out of a pandemic and with a cultural shift that has put the power back in the hands of Gen Z. Brands must acknowledge the shifting attitudes of the younger generation to work, and adapt the way they market it.

“From the rise of capitalism memes and ‘goblin mode’ [intentionally giving in to base or slobbish behaviour] to ‘girlboss’ satire [ambitious women who are finding success on their own terms] and the anti-work movement, these are all examples of a loud online conversation interrogating productivity and traditional markers of success.

“Young people want permission to play, slow down and indulge; so brands need to reflect on how they can best service these new aspirations.”

The full report is available to view here.