I remember being the new generation in town, and people did not like how it disrupted their notions of how things were done. At the beginning of my career, I was told by more senior colleagues and their superiors: "Because you are a Millennial, you tend to challenge X, Y, and Z and question the decisions of your superiors and processes that have been in place and working for years."

At first, I felt comfortable stating my point of view and proposing more efficient processes aligned with technological advances. This included questioning people who had much more authority than me and were -- at times -- utterly wrong about what they were saying.

RELATED: Millennial Manager Says There's Nothing Quite As 'Humbling' As Receiving Applications From Gen Z Job Seekers

But it was never about being right. I soon understood that regardless of my expertise in a specific subject, if someone more senior than me said something, it was the "right" way or thing, irrespective of how wrong they were. I was tamed.

While researching this article, I saw the following labels used to describe Millennials in the workplace:

For example, I worked at a private law firm that made me feel like a tool instead of a person. We had to be at the office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., stick to a strict workflow schedule, and work two Saturdays out of the month for no additional pay.

Admitting the culture was rigid for the times, my boss often said: You should be thankful; it used to be way worse when I started working.

He justified a toxic culture by claiming it was better than his experience. But this is only one example of the many times I have heard this excuse to stop progress.

Oh. And in case you were intrigued, I quit after less than a year, heading to a nonprofit that paid me more, was more flexible, and did not make me work on Saturdays.

RELATED: 8 Things Millennials Were Taught About Work Ethic That Gen Z Just Doesn't Get

Gen Zers are on to something -- they're going beyond my expectations and for good reasons. Companies expect us to live to work instead of working to live. Gen Zers see this, and as they enter the workforce, they say, "Enough."

We are expected to work the majority of days of our adult life. We call Gen Zers "disengaged" because they leave the office at 5 p.m. and are unwilling to work overtime and take their earned sick days. Gen Zers are not disengaged at work; our societal expectations have been to prioritize work over everything, including family and health.

We label Gen-Z's behavior as "lacking loyalty" because they look for jobs that will pay them considerably more and have better benefits. Many do it after asking for a raise.

While we call them out for lacking loyalty, when companies refuse to give raises or meet their demands, it's business as usual. When companies go through tough financial times and have to lay over people, we don't call them selfish. Why are we demanding a level of loyalty from workers that companies are unwilling to give?

While Millennials have higher expectations of the workplace and demand more work-life balance than our predecessors, we might have "drank the juice" along with Gen X and older generations. We were raised to believe we should be thankful for having a 9-5 job that pays us for the basics, to be thankful for spending most of our lives producing for the company's sake.

Why do we have to work most of our waking hours? Why do employers think they own us? Why is it all about producing at the expense of our physical and mental health?

This new generation can awaken us from an overwork cycle by asking these questions and making demands, reshaping how we work and live. What if we join them instead of being mad at them?

I landed at an organization that was turned on its head by Gen Zers. Instead of resisting, its leaders listened. The results?

By having a more balanced life outside of work, we show up fully at work and are happier. And yes, we all know what a mental health care day is, and we are encouraged to take it -- no questions asked. Shouldn't this be the norm instead of the exception?

RELATED: 8 Reasons Gen Z Often Gets Fired & Struggles To Keep A Job