A Gen Z employee’s refusal to attend an 8 a.m. meeting due to a workout class has sparked a heated debate on TikTok, following a discussion by podcast hosts Natalie Marie and Ross Pomerantz on their show, Demoted.
The controversy began after the hosts shared an email from a listener, questioning the appropriateness of a Gen Z employee’s decision to prioritize a workout class over a work meeting. Natalie expressed her disbelief at the employee’s priorities, stating, “You just started this job. I don’t give a flying s*** about your workout class. Also, an 8 a.m. workout class is too late. Work out at six, maybe seven.” Ross shared his frustration as well, remarking, “My visceral reaction was are you f***ing kidding me? My hand’s shaking, and it’s not from the caffeine.”
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The hosts argued that while mental health is important, personal time should not impede work responsibilities. Ross commented, “To monopolize your calendar for things that I would consider to be personal time, that’s gonna be a ‘no’ for me dog,” emphasizing the need for employees to make sacrifices. Natalie added, “You’re not really allowed to do that when you’re first starting your career I’m sorry.”
Their stance, however, did not sit well with many, including TikTok creator Alexandre Evidente, who responded with a video that has garnered over 32.1 million views. In his response, Evidente, embodying the Gen Z employee, argued that his workday starts at 9 a.m. and questioned whether the employer would compensate him for the missed class or pay him for the additional hour of work. He stated, “Okay, let’s just say I skip the gym. Two things. When can I expect you to reimburse me for my class? And two, are you going to be paying me from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.? Or at the very least let me leave at 4 p.m. Natalie, if your answer to both of those are ‘no’ then there’s no discussion needed.”
The reaction video sparked a flood of support in the comments section, with viewers applauding Evidente for his stance on work-life balance and challenging the podcast hosts’ views.
