Here's what happened to the work ethic: it died when the plutocracy killed pensions and made us have to gamble in the stock market; when they moved physical jobs overseas to cut labor costs, and when they killed labor unions in the bargain. It died when employers had no conpunction about firing you in a New York minute for a flimsy reason, while expecting employees to give 2 weeks notice. It died when tech bros and private equity decided to "disrupt" the taxicab industry, the food delivery industry, etc to turn work into "gigs" with no benefits or dependable wages.

Commitment has to go both ways. I don't blame younger generations for lack of a work ethic to employers who don't give a crap about anything but minimizing costs and maximizing profits. Who want to hire someone who has years of experience to do two jobs, but offers entry-level pay for one job.

BTW: I'm a Boomer who continued working from home recovering from hip surgery. Who was known for going the extra mile because I cared about doing my best. But when employers don't care about you as more than a replaceable cog, why go beyond?