Gen Z has certain expectations when it comes to their jobs. For example, they are not willing to work overtime for a low salary. Instead, young people prefer a job in hospitality with tips over working 60 hours a week. At least, that is what a young employer believes and she gives tips on how to deal with Gen Z as a leader.
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Who is it about? Teresa Kutz is from Generation Z herself and shared tips in an interview with WirtschaftsWoche on how to deal with her generation in the job market. She is a business consultant and startup founder.
In social media and in her book “Versatile Disinterest & Still Full of Opinions: How Much Truth Is Behind the Generational Conflict?” the 29-year-old describes quirky scenes from her working life. For example, she has no problem if the intern doesn’t want to turn on her camera in the virtual meeting because she is currently lying in the bathtub. For Teresa Katz, the results count, not necessarily the way of working.
“Then rather a hospitality job with tips”
What are the tips that the founder gives? For dealing with Gen Z in everyday work, Teresa Katz has a number of tips:
- Lead without authoritarianism, but on equal footing: Strictness or control do not work with Gen Z; instead, they want co-determination, appreciation, and feedback. This creates more motivation, says Teresa Katz.
- Allow flexibility: The place of work or the way of working is secondary for Teresa Katz, as long as the results are right in the end.
- Prefer meaning over status: Young people want a job that has meaning for them, and status symbols like company cars are outdated for them.
For Teresa Katz, an average performance from her employees is sufficient:
Average performance is enough. No one owes me more. It is my responsibility as an entrepreneur to ensure that. (…) My employees should neither be over- nor under-challenged. I am responsible for my company and must plan resources accordingly and establish proper work organization. That is not the responsibility of the young worker.
– Teresa Katz via WirtschaftsWoche
Furthermore, Teresa Katz mentions that industries such as marketing or software development have become unattractive for Gen Z:
These industries are relatively unattractive for many now. (…) So: low salary, a lot of overtime, being the girl for everything. Young people do not want to work in an agency for 60 hours a week for a low salary. Then rather a job in hospitality with tips.
Teresa Katz speaks as a young person for Generation Z and accordingly adapts her leadership style. She seems to have understood Gen Z, just like another boss: Generation Z has found its leader: the boss who denies her employees vacation and explains to millions of viewers why
