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“Generation Toolbelt” is a column dedicated to exploring Generation Z, their relationship with the workplace and their role in helping fill the construction job gap.
Corey Silverman has a passion for poker.
He invested himself in playing Texas Hold ’em in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, reading books and watching YouTube videos to learn more about the math and strategy behind the game.
Silverman, 29, works as a safety specialist for construction risk management platform Highwire. There, he says he has time to pursue both professional goals and personal interests.
“I have a lot of hobbies and interests outside of work, and I really see work as a means to support me, to give me stability, so I can pursue those hobbies,” Silverman said.
Work-life balance means different things to different people, especially across generations. Billionaire Kevin O’Leary, of Shark Tank fame, criticized the idea, saying he hopes people looking for work life balance going and working for your competitorsby Fortune
“I see work as a way to support my life outside of work, not as my identity.”
Corey Silverman
Security Specialist, Highwire
But Generation Z, or those born after 1997, places immense value on balancing work and family life, with some even in charge of creating this harmony regardless of their employment status, according to a 2024 SurveyMonkey report.
This presents construction employers, eager to capitalize on Generation Z as “The Toolbelt generation”, with a bet. Do they fold and shy away from potential workers who see a job as a means to an end, or do they strive to help the emerging workforce optimize both their time on and off the job?
Gen Z is not watching the clock
Silverman began his career as a general contractor. He made the switch from working for a builder to a tech startup because construction was known for its long, unpredictable hours. Building a structure takes as long as it takes. Sticking to the timeline often means early mornings and late afternoons.
“For me, I felt like I wanted something that would give me more time outside of work to do the things that really matter to me and I want to spend my time doing,” Silverman said. “I see work as a way to support my life outside of work, not as my identity.”
Hannah Hsi, 25, an assistant project manager at San Jose, Calif.-based electrical contractor Rosendin, said she has worked with previous generations of bosses who come in early and leave late. This attitude of living in the workplace to show dedication is common among older workers, according to the Gen Zers interviewed for this column.
In Hsi’s experience, it resulted in entire crews staying on site for longer hours, which didn’t necessarily correlate with increased output.
“I don’t always think it’s more productive just because you stay at work longer,” Hsi said. “I think you can get a good amount of work done in eight hours that you might not need an extra two or three hours. It might not be much more beneficial just to stay there to stay at work.”
However, Gen Z professionals said the industry has evolved.
“I think at least the people I’ve been lucky enough to work with have been considerate of things outside of work and never put that much pressure on me,” said Lauren Welsh, 25, an assistant project manager at Skanska.
The output still matters
Gen Z construction professionals emphasized that they understand that work still needs to be done and on time. This can mean long days.
Fulton Cure, a consultant with Baltimore-based Well Built Construction Consulting, said when he first worked in the field, he knew more hours were needed. Now 28-year-old Cure has a daughter, who said her attitude has changed in the past two months.
“I try to handle it as best I can. I try to get it over with as soon as I can,” Cure said. Still, she sometimes works an hour or two after putting her daughter to bed. Welsh, too, says he often ends up taking calls or emails after normal business hours if necessary.
Ultimately, these examples show that Gen Z workers value what they did on a given day more than the amount of time they spent doing it.
Cure says she has set a limit at work, taking off a little early on Friday afternoons to spend time with her daughter. However, this is not something that was given to him.
“I’m only able to do it because I do my thing and because they trust me to do it,” Cure said.
