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Nothing beats rolling out of bed, making a cup of coffee, and sitting on your couch in your pajamas ready to start the workday. Besides the casual dress code, working from home has many advantages such as no long commutes, flexible hours, and the ability to stream movies and series in between work tasks.

Because the lines of professionalism are somewhat blurred when working from home, many workers often switch between working and catching up on their favorite series. 

However, Gen Z workers have started incorporating streaming as part of their regular work routine. Is streaming during the workday a productivity hack or an example of poor work ethics? Let’s talk about it.

Streaming is the new background noise

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve always liked having music on while I studied. As I write this article, I have a playlist of lo-fi beats playing softly in the background. The minute my brain picks up on this familiar noise, it seems to block out all other distractions and helps me enter a flow state.

Everyone likes a bit of background noise, right? Some people prefer the ambient chattering of people mixed with the whistling of an espresso machine at a coffee shop. Others prefer the subtle hum of a fan or the light pattering of rain. Well, according to a recent survey by Tubi, the streaming TV service, Gen Z workers prefer streaming their favorite series in the background to add a bit of ambiance to their workday.

An article in Fortune revealed that many work-from-home employees enjoy having particular TV series playing while they work. They typically put on shows they’ve seen multiple times. Light-hearted or familiar series with minimal drama seem to be the go-to choices. The predictability helps workers feel less lonely and helps them feel the void of working alone.

But if someone were working from the office, would they also be streaming? Maybe not an entire season of Friends, but according to a survey, two in five Gen Z workers who work from an office admit to streaming during the day, often under the radar.

This shows that the habit isn’t just a work-from-home phenomenon, it’s part of a broader shift in how younger workers manage their environment to feel more comfortable and engaged.

The pros and cons of streaming while working

According to the Tubi survey, 84% of Gen Z workers report streaming while working. With such a large percentage, it raises the question: Could streaming actually be a tool that helps them get their work done, rather than a distraction?

Let’s consider this point of view. Unlike millennials and Gen X, Gen Z has grown up immersed in technology. I didn’t even have a cellphone until college, but today, children know how to swipe across a screen before they can write their names. Gen Z is used to constant stimulation. Perhaps streaming provides a level of background engagement that helps their brains stay on track.

Another angle to consider is productivity. Are employees who are streaming while working meeting deadlines? Has the quality of their work diminished? If there have been no significant dips in performance, maybe streaming Scandal while drafting a weekly report isn’t as problematic as it sounds.

Simran Bhatia, head of people operations at the deepfake detection company Reality Defender, emphasizes that employers should focus on making work environments more reflective of Gen Z needs. “Each generation has brought a shift in workplace culture,” Bhatia said in an interview with Yahoo News, “and Gen Z is no exception.”

Instead of resisting these shifts, companies might choose to support their workers by adapting their workplace expectations to align with how this generation works best.

Streaming While WFH Is a New Type of Workflow

While streaming may seem harmless, it does bring up important conversations about boundaries and focus. Just because someone can multitask doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always healthy in the long run.

Some critics argue that if Gen Z workers rely too heavily on streaming to get through the day, it could signal underlying issues like loneliness, burnout, or even attention fatigue. While having The Office running in the background might not directly hurt productivity, it could create a dependency that makes it harder to focus deeply without constant noise.

Employers, meanwhile, need to be clear about expectations. Before reprimanding employees for streaming, companies should check if there are specific policies regarding media consumption during work hours. Transparent communication around deadlines, performance expectations, and work habits is key.

Employees, too, should be mindful. Instead of automatically pressing “play,” it might be helpful to reflect. Workers can ask themselves  “Am I using this show to focus or to avoid my work?” If loneliness is a factor, taking a real break to call a friend or meet a friend for lunch could provide much deeper, more fulfilling human interaction.

Streaming while working may not be a major problem now, but unchecked habits can worsen over time. As workplaces continue to evolve, the key will be finding a balance between flexibility and discipline.

Who knows how this new way of working will develop? Perhaps it’s just a passing trend. Or maybe, in the era of remote work, TV series will become the new form of white noise. After all, we all receive some form of comfort from our shows.  Streaming can just be another way we get through the workday. 

Can streaming while working go too far? Data shows that 53% of employees said that finishing a show binge is priority number one, and finishing work is secondary.

With more people working from home, there has been a rise of fauxductivity. This is when you pretend to do work or fake productivity. According to a survey of 3,000 full-time employees in the U.K., U.S., and Ireland, 30% admitted to faking activity for work. 

So the real question is: Does streaming just go against workplace etiquette, or is it something that’s affecting a companies bottom line?

As for employees that stream, it doesn’t hurt to take a second look at your steaming habits. Is having a show on in the background really helping you focus? If you’re streaming while working to help with loneliness it might be better to take a break and call a friend. There’s also the option of working in a co-working space. 

Lastly, is you find yourself consistently streaming while working, it make be time to rethink the type of work you are doing. If you’re never feeling engaged or you are not enjoying your work, then it might be time to switch up your workload. 

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