The Majority of Gen Z Is Streaming Movies and TV Shows at Work, According to a New Survey Some confessed to wanting to keep working remotely so they could keep up with their favorite movies and shows during the workday.
By Sherin Shibu Edited by Melissa Malamut
Key Takeaways
- 84% of Gen Z admitted in a new survey that they have streamed movies and shows at work.
- More than half of Gen Z said they prioritized watching a show over completing work at least once.
- Overall, viewers spend $129 a month on average on streaming.
The majority of Gen Z workers, those born between 1997 and 2012, watch shows or movies at work — but if their boss asks, they'll lie and deny, according to a new survey from Tubi and The Harris Poll.
In fact, a whopping 84% of employed Gen Z workers reported streaming TV shows or movies while working. The survey, which factored in the opinions of 2,502 U.S. adults who stream for at least one hour per week, also found that nearly half of employed Gen Z (48%) admitted to lying to coworkers or bosses about streaming media at work.
Gen Z's streaming habits may even be interfering with their ability to complete work — more than half of the Gen Z workers surveyed (53%) said they had put aside their work duties to finish binge-watching a show at least once.
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The generation is also keen on working remotely in order to keep streaming during the workday. Over half of Gen Z workers who work remotely, 52%, indicated that they don't want to return to in-person work because they won't be able to stream movies and shows under the close supervision of a boss.
However, even in-person work isn't enough to deter some streamers. Nearly two in five Gen Z workers who show up to work in person said they still manage to sneak in streaming at their job site.
Overall, across generations, viewers are spending more money on average on streaming services ($129 per month) than they are on clothes ($109 per month). They're also spending a substantial amount of time per day streaming. Nearly three in five survey respondents, or 57%, said they streamed shows or movies for one to three hours in one sitting, while 38% said they streamed for three or more hours at one time.
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Nielsen's The Gauge report for February found that streaming was at an all-time high: 43.5% of total TV viewership for the month was due to streaming, more than 23.2% for cable and 21.2% for broadcast. Popular streaming services include YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.
A 2017 survey from Netflix polling 1,600 U.S. respondents revealed that 37% of Americans admit to streaming shows and movies at work.
So what should bosses do if they see their employees streaming? According to Manage Better, a workplace management software company, bosses should first look at the employee's results to see if they can get their work done even while streaming. They should also consider if streaming violates company policies and impacts the work of other employees. If streaming entertainment while working poses a problem, bosses should communicate that clearly to staff.
