Generation Z (Gen Z) is gradually taking over the labor market and of course bringing with them their own principles and working methods. This often leads to a kind of culture shock for the older generations – after all, the younger generation has a different attitude to work than was common 30-40 years ago.
What is Gen Z? Generation Z or Gen Z is the name for the generation that was born between 1995 and 2010. The members of this generation are now between 14 and 30 years old.
This means that part of Gen Z has entered the job market in the last 10 years and has brought their own strengths and principles with them. For example, this generation is said to be “always online,” but also very technology-savvy.
The generation is also very health-conscious. In the world of work, for many people this means: “My health/well-being is more important than my work.”
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What’s with the annoyed bosses? The website Intelligent.com conducted a survey of 1,000 managers in the United States. It found that around one in five of the managers surveyed (18%) had thought about resigning due to the stress of managing GenZ employees.
A third of managers surveyed said mentoring Gen Z employees led to disappointment. For around a quarter of those surveyed, this also led to an increased workload and the need for additional resources.
Around 20% said they had experienced a decline in their own productivity and/or felt overwhelmed by the care. In fact, 27% of respondents in the survey said they would avoid hiring a Gen Z applicant.
What are the managers criticizing? The bosses criticize the excessive use of smartphones, the work ethic and the professionalism of GenZ employees. Communication skills in particular are unprofessional and lead to tensions with older generations.
Expert advises that bosses have to adapt: Intelligent.com professional development consultant Huy Nguyen explains that many members of the generation did not have the opportunity to develop skills such as time management, teamwork or communication. According to him, they have more developed technical skills than previous generations, but they lack practical experience in the world of work.
According to Nguyen, bosses should then act more like a coach and less like a boss. They should recognize the changing generations and adjust their expectations and provide the generation with structured guidance and clear guidelines.
One of the principles of Generation Z is that they don’t just want to do any job. They want to do a job that they actually enjoy or that means something to them. But 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