Generation Z (Gen Z) is gradually taking over the job market and naturally brings its own principles and working methods. For the older generations, this often leads to a kind of culture shock – after all, the younger generation has a different attitude towards work than was common 30-40 years ago.
What is Gen Z? Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to the generation born roughly between 1995 and 2010. Members of this generation are now between 14 and 30 years old.
This means that some members of Gen Z have entered the job market in the past 10 years and brought their strengths and principles with them. For example, this generation is said to be “always online” but also very tech-savvy.
Moreover, the generation is said to be very health-conscious. In the workplace, this means for many: “My health/well-being is more important than my job.”
What’s up with the annoyed bosses? The website Intelligent.com conducted a survey with 1,000 managers in the USA. It turned out that about one in five of the surveyed managers (18%) has considered quitting – due to the stress of managing Gen Z employees.
A third of the surveyed managers stated that managing Gen Z employees leads to disappointments. About a quarter of the respondents noted that this has also resulted in increased workload and the need for additional resources.
About 20% indicated that they have seen a decline in their own productivity due to managing and/or feel overwhelmed. 27% of the respondents even stated in the survey that they would avoid hiring a Gen Z applicant.
What do managers criticize? The bosses criticize Gen Z employees for excessive smartphone use, work ethic, and professionalism. Especially, the communication skills are seen as unprofessional and lead to tensions with older generations.
Expert advises that bosses need to adapt: The career development consultant from Intelligent.com, Huy Nguyen, explains that many members of the generation have not had the opportunity to develop skills such as time management, teamwork, or communication. He believes that while they possess more developed technical skills than previous generations, they lack practical experience in the workplace.
According to Nguyen, bosses should act more like a coach and less like a boss. They should recognize the generational shift and adjust their expectations, providing structured guidance and clear guidelines to the generation.
Among the principles of Generation Z is also that they do not want to do just any job. They want to pursue a profession that they actually enjoy or that means something to them. However, this leads to one of two problems that the generation is currently facing: Gen Z is currently facing two major problems, one of which they cannot solve without help
