Anyone who has worked in an office environment knows that stereotypes exist everywhere, especially in the workplace. When it comes to business, we’ve all heard about the stereotypes about business owners and employees—but where do these stereotypes come from? How long have they been around? Why are they so difficult to break through? What makes them so prevalent, despite their lack of credibility? To answer these questions and many more, read on to discover how these five popular business stereotypes got started, why they persist today, and what you can do to change them going forward.

Work-life balance

Balance is important. It’s difficult to be successful in both your personal and professional lives, so start making decisions that will set you up for success in each area. If you truly love what you do, then it won’t feel like work, and it won’t feel like sacrifice; balance will simply become a way of life. That may sound idealistic, but if it gets your head moving in a healthier direction than where it was before, it couldn’t hurt to try!

Generation X is lazier than Millennials

Unfortunately, many pundits (and parents) have painted Gen Xers as a group that’s too lazy to succeed. The truth is that many members of Generation X are hardworking people who were hit with a few economic curveballs in their adult lives, including one of the worst recessions in history. Now, they’re trying to find ways to overcome these obstacles and catch up with Millennials in terms of career success. They want to show off their grit and prove what good employees they can be!

Millennials only want to be seen on social media

If you’re a business owner and are looking to expand your brand and reach, you should know that Millennials aren’t all about selfies and Snapchat. In fact, many Millennials have created their own businesses with strong social media presences as part of their marketing strategy. Don’t give up on reaching out to Gen Y because they seem so tech-savvy; there are many who still prefer traditional means over digital media when it comes to purchasing products or services.

Millennials are only working for the paycheck

Millennials have been pegged as lazy, entitled and more interested in hanging out than working hard. The truth is that they are actually more likely to quit their jobs because they don’t see a long-term career path with their company. It’s not that millennials aren’t ambitious—it’s just that they want an employer who offers them what they want, when they want it. And for many of these young people, that means work/life balance and flexibility.

Generation X doesn't have ambition anymore

The phrase lazy, entitled generation has been used to describe today’s younger workers more than once, but it’s not totally fair. Gen X workers are ambitious and have high expectations when it comes to money, relationships and work/life balance. They don't want to settle for anything less than they deserve. However, they also feel that they should be rewarded fairly for their efforts in these areas.