Why Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' for Work (And What Leaders Need to Hear) | Dr. Eliza Filby

Admit it, you've complained about at least one other generation. Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z—somehow, they all end up with reputations built around what's wrong with them. Dr. Eliza Filby has a different suggestion: _stop_ asking what's wrong with them. And_ start _questioning what world they were handed. Eliza is a contemporary historian, generations expert, and the author of _Sunday Times_ bestseller: _Inheritocracy._ And with more generations in the workplace than at any point in history, she is precisely the person we need to show us a new way to win… together. In this conversation, Eliza makes connections about how generational change is reshaping work, wealth, and modern life that I’d never thought to connect. She might just change how _you_ see the world (and people) around you. In this episode you'll learn: ➡️ Why calling Gen Z "entitled" is the wrong diagnosis (and what's really driving the behavior leaders complain about most) ➡️ How retirement planning and eldercare became the new midlife crisis ➡️ How the economy changed after 2008 + quietly rewrote the rulebook for every generation that followed ➡️ Why belonging is becoming increasingly rare (even though we need it) ➡️ Why Millennials + Gen Z are more likely become homeowners by being loyal to their parents than by being loyal to their jobs ➡️ 3 things no AI will replace in the workplace… ➡️ What’s driving hyper-individualism + how do we fix it We all may have strong opinions about one another, but it’s time to focus on building greater understanding. This conversation is a good place to start. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + To buy a copy of Dr. Eliza Filby’s bestselling book _Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad,_ head to: https://www.elizafilby.com/books Want to hear more from Eliza? Check out her _It’s All Relative_ Newsletter: https://www.elizafilby.com/newsletter + + + Chapters: 00:00:00 Rethinking The Generational Divide at Work 00:01:41 How Dr. Filby Became a Generations Expert 00:04:34 The Fragmentation of Generations + Shared Experiences 00:10:51 The Death of Shared Truth 00:14:32 Conspiracy Culture Infiltrates the Workplace 00:16:06 The End of Job Security + the Rise of the Solopreneur 00:20:33 The Inheritocracy: When the Bank of Mom and Dad Replaces Work Loyalty 00:28:24 Why Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' 00:31:29 Changing Life Cycle: Delayed Adulthood + Pressured Midlife 00:35:57 Rise of Dual Income Households 00:41:39 Hyper-Individualism: From 12% to 80% Thinking They're Important 00:44:21 Dirty Kitchen Syndrome: Transactional Work Culture 00:46:58 AI as the Next Generation in the Workplace 00:51:14 Let Humans Do What Can't Be Counted 00:58:44 Taylor Swift Tickets + the Future of Business Relationships 01:00:44 Disrupted Path to Mastery + Nurturing Human Skills 01:03:04 How Can Generations Come Together? + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including _Start With Why,_ _Leaders Eat Last,_ _Together is Better,_ and _The Infinite Game._ + + + Website:http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes:https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast:http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram:https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

Simon SinekhostDr. Eliza Filbyguest

Apr 28, 20261h 3mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: April 28, 2026
Duration: 1h 3m
Channel: Simon Sinek
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Admit it, you've complained about at least one other generation. Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z—somehow, they all end up with reputations built around what's wrong with them. Dr. Eliza Filby has a different suggestion: _stop_ asking what's wrong with them. And_ start _questioning what world they were handed. Eliza is a contemporary historian, generations expert, and the author of _Sunday Times_ bestseller: _Inheritocracy._ And with more generations in the workplace than at any point in history, she is precisely the person we need to show us a new way to win… together. In this conversation, Eliza makes connections about how generational change is reshaping work, wealth, and modern life that I’d never thought to connect. She might just change how _you_ see the world (and people) around you. In this episode you'll learn: ➡️ Why calling Gen Z "entitled" is the wrong diagnosis (and what's really driving the behavior leaders complain about most) ➡️ How retirement planning and eldercare became the new midlife crisis ➡️ How the economy changed after 2008 + quietly rewrote the rulebook for every generation that followed ➡️ Why belonging is becoming increasingly rare (even though we need it) ➡️ Why Millennials + Gen Z are more likely become homeowners by being loyal to their parents than by being loyal to their jobs ➡️ 3 things no AI will replace in the workplace… ➡️ What’s driving hyper-individualism + how do we fix it We all may have strong opinions about one another, but it’s time to focus on building greater understanding. This conversation is a good place to start. This… is A Bit of Optimism. + + + To buy a copy of Dr. Eliza Filby’s bestselling book _Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad,_ head to: https://www.elizafilby.com/books Want to hear more from Eliza? Check out her _It’s All Relative_ Newsletter: https://www.elizafilby.com/newsletter + + + Chapters: 00:00:00 Rethinking The Generational Divide at Work 00:01:41 How Dr. Filby Became a Generations Expert 00:04:34 The Fragmentation of Generations + Shared Experiences 00:10:51 The Death of Shared Truth 00:14:32 Conspiracy Culture Infiltrates the Workplace 00:16:06 The End of Job Security + the Rise of the Solopreneur 00:20:33 The Inheritocracy: When the Bank of Mom and Dad Replaces Work Loyalty 00:28:24 Why Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' 00:31:29 Changing Life Cycle: Delayed Adulthood + Pressured Midlife 00:35:57 Rise of Dual Income Households 00:41:39 Hyper-Individualism: From 12% to 80% Thinking They're Important 00:44:21 Dirty Kitchen Syndrome: Transactional Work Culture 00:46:58 AI as the Next Generation in the Workplace 00:51:14 Let Humans Do What Can't Be Counted 00:58:44 Taylor Swift Tickets + the Future of Business Relationships 01:00:44 Disrupted Path to Mastery + Nurturing Human Skills 01:03:04 How Can Generations Come Together? + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including _Start With Why,_ _Leaders Eat Last,_ _Together is Better,_ and _The Infinite Game._ + + + Website:http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes:https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast:http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram:https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin:https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek

SPEAKERS

Simon Sinek
host
Author and leadership speaker; host on the Simon Sinek channel.
Dr. Eliza Filby
guest
Generational historian and author of Inheritocracy, advising leaders on multi-generational workplaces.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Simon Sinek, featuring Simon Sinek and Dr. Eliza Filby, Why Young People Don't Have 'The Hunger' for Work (And What Leaders Need to Hear) | Dr. Eliza Filby explores why work feels different now: generations, insecurity, and new loyalty Generational labels are becoming more fragmented because shared cultural experiences, media, and “shared truth” have eroded, pushing people toward micro-identities and belonging-seeking subgroups.

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