In the fluorescent-lit trenches of modern offices, a subtle rebellion is brewing among the youngest workers. It's called "failwatching"—the guilty pleasure of eavesdropping on a colleague's botched presentation, a glitchy Zoom demo, or that awkward email chain gone viral.
Far from mere pettiness, this trend is Gen Z's twisted form of stress relief, a momentary high that whispers, At least it's not me this time. As workplaces grapple with endless performance metrics and economic turbulence, failwatching has surged as a coping mechanism, blending schadenfreude with survival instinct.
Coined in a recent Forbes deep-dive, failwatching isn't about rooting for downfall; it's a self-soothing ritual in an era where every slip-up feels like a pink slip. Productivity expert Avery Morgan, CHRO at EduBirdie, describes it as "simple self-defense" rather than cruelty - a way for young professionals to affirm their own competence amid relentless pressure.
According to an EduBirdie survey, a startling 34% of Gen Z workers admit to secretly enjoying others' missteps, a figure that underscores how normalized this has become in watercooler whispers and Slack side-chats.
The Ancient Roots of a Modern Vice: Enter Schadenfreude
This isn't a Zoomer invention; it's schadenfreude with a corporate filter. The German term, translating to "harm-joy," captures the universal thrill of another's misfortune - think ancient Romans chuckling at gladiators' falls or medieval peasants gossiping over a rival's ruined harvest. In psychology, schadenfreude often flares in competitive environments, triggered by envy or resentment when someone else's success feels unattainable.
Neuroscientific studies reveal it's wired into our brains: high-competition scenarios activate reward centers, turning pain empathy into a dopamine hit when a foe falters.
At work, it manifests sneakily. A 2019 study found that witnessing a colleague's mistreatment can spark schadenfreude as a justice response - They had it coming - but it also erodes trust, fostering a cutthroat vibe where collaboration crumbles.
For Gen Z, entering this arena post-pandemic, it's less malice and more mirror: watching a peer unravel validates their own hidden struggles in a culture that equates vulnerability with obsolescence.
Why Gen Z? The Perfect Storm of Layoffs, AI, and Economic Squeeze
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z hit the workforce during a triple whammy: the Great Resignation's hangover, AI's job-eating frenzy, and a housing market that's basically a cruel joke. In 2025 alone, AI has fueled thousands of layoffs, with outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas pinpointing it as a top-five culprit for U.S. job losses.
Unemployment among recent grads could spike to 25%, warns U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, as automation devours entry-level roles faster than new hires can onboard. Meanwhile, 76% of employers slashed or held steady on entry-level hires compared to 2024, per a Cengage report, leaving Zoomers in a "job-hugging" limbo where mobility means risk.
Add skyrocketing living costs, and it's no wonder failwatching feels like free therapy. Housing now devours six times a Gen Zer's annual income - double their parents' burden and triple their grandparents' - making homeownership a pipe dream for many.
With 74% reporting moderate-to-high stress from a 24/7 "always-on" grind, where social media amplifies every career flex and flop, these young workers are burned out before burnout was cool. As JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon bluntly put it, Gen Z can't bank on "I can work hard" anymore; AI and stagnant markets demand constant reinvention, turning the office into a gladiatorial ring.
On X (formerly Twitter), the chatter echoes this exhaustion. One user quipped, "Fail watching is blowing up among Gen Z at work: secretly enjoying colleagues’ screw-ups to feel better about your own stress. It’s not laziness – it’s a symptom of toxic pressure & zero psychological safety."
Another tied it to broader disillusionment: "This isn't just a rising trend. It's the new norm... These young people enter their workplace on day 1 demanding 'respect' and then somehow, whenever they have trouble learning something, they obtain a moral high ground."
HR's Headache: The "Most Challenging" Generation?
Human resources pros aren't laughing. A whopping 45% of hiring managers deem Gen Z the toughest cohort to integrate, citing everything from rule-breaking to etiquette gaps. Nearly half hide mental health woes or self-care rituals to climb the ladder, while 56% - over twice the Boomer rate - conceal facets of their identity from even HR.
Critics blame entitlement, but experts counter: It's the system, stupid. Corporate cultures built on "tall poppy syndrome" - where high achievers get clipped - breed resentment, not rivalry. Schadenfreude thrives here, as a 2023 Forbes piece warned, poisoning team spirit when gloating replaces growth.
Yet, pinning it on Zoomers misses the mark. As one X post noted, "Gen Z lässt einen besonders gemeinen Trend am Arbeitsplatz aufleben" (Gen Z revives a particularly mean trend at work), but it's less meanness than mimicry of a cutthroat status quo.
Flipping the Script: From Failwatching to Collective Wins
The good news? Failwatching is fixable - and it starts with ditching perfectionism. Morgan recommends "naming the perfectionist voice" in your head, logging "imperfect wins" like a survived meeting sans meltdown, and deliberately flopping at low-stakes hobbies to desensitize failure.
Leaders can help by normalizing slip-ups: Share your own epic fails in team huddles, tie bonuses to learning curves over flawless outputs, and foster "psychological safety" where vulnerability isn't a vulnerability.
In a world where AI layoffs loom and rent rivals mortgages, Gen Z's failwatching isn't a flaw - it's a flare signaling deeper distress. By addressing the root - restructuring workplaces for empathy over metrics - we can transform this shadowy spectator sport into shared resilience.
After all, in the end, we're all just one glitch away from the spotlight. Who knows? The next viral flop might be ours, turning watchers into allies overnight.
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Author: Slava Vasipenok
Founder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) - Daily insights on Web3, AI, Crypto, and Freelance. Stay updated on finance, technology trends, and creator tools - with sources and real value.
Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.
