Today’s working world is ever more influenced by changing demographics, with Generation Z commonly being those born between 1997 and 2012 quickly becoming part of the international workforce. This has highlighted an escalating conflict between the newest generation of workers and their managers, creating widespread discussion and alarm across many industries. Recent in-depth surveys have started to shed light on these new dynamics, painting a sometimes difficult picture of worker-management compatibility across generations.
A landmark ResumeBuilder survey of more than 1,300 managers uncovered a dramatic statistic: 74% said they found Gen Z more difficult to work with than any other generation. The same sentiment is expressed in a 2024 Resume Genius survey, where 45% of managers named Gen Z as the most difficult, beating out Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. This widespread consensus reflects an important and ongoing workplace issue that warrants scrutiny.
Adding to the perceptions is the significant emphasis on early work termination statistics. Job managers who encountered challenges with Gen Z according to ResumeBuilder’s findings had to terminate a young employee within their first week at 12%. Other interpretations reported 20% terminating them during the first week and 27% in the first month. These results underscore a misalignment in expectations and performance, leading to a closer examination of the underlying causes for these results.
1. General Challenge: Managers Report That Gen Z Is Much Harder to Work With
The managerial consensus is that Generation Z comes with challenges different from other generations in the workplace. This is not derived from anecdotal experience but backed up by survey evidence of widespread leadership agreement. ResumeBuilder’s survey of over 1,300 managers revealed that 74% found Gen Z harder to work with than other generations, reflecting a pervasively consistent view.
Out of the 1,000 managers holding this opinion, almost half said that it was difficult to work with Gen Z most or all of the time. Most preferred other generations, with 64% preferring Gen X (30%) or Millennials (34%) over Gen Z, for better productivity and easier collaboration. 4% preferred Baby Boomers.
This mutual mindshare provides the context for a critical consideration of integration tactics and in-workplace adjustment. The issue is not confined to a handful of industries but extends across sectors, indicating issues within the overall system of handling younger workers. Appreciating this baseline is key to developing strategies that close gaps between generations and enhance workplace harmony overall.
2. Early Exits: The Shattering Pace of Gen Z’s Being Fired Within A Week or A Month
One of the most revealing survey results is the extent of early dismissal among Gen Z workers. In a few instances, the dismissals took place in days or even hours, indicating a drastic disparity between expectation and preparation. Based on ResumeBuilder, 12% of managers who had struggled with Gen Z had fired a member of this generation during the first week on the job.
Figures indicate that 20% had terminated a Gen Z employee in the first week, and 27% in the first month. A survey of over 900 executives in August said that 6 in 10 companies had promptly dismissed a Gen Z employee who was hired earlier in the year.
Reasons for these brief tenures vary from perceived lack of effort and productivity to increased sensitivity, which will be explained in subsequent sections. Early attrition is expensive, interrupting recruiting, hiring, and productivity. These numbers force companies to reevaluate recruiting and onboarding procedures, particularly for a population now prevalent among entry-level jobs.
3. Perceived Lack of Effort and Productivity
Management frequently complains about not enough effort and less-than-expected productivity being issues with Gen Z workers. In the ResumeBuilder survey, 37% of participants mentioned “don’t put in enough effort” and another 37% reported “get less done than expected” as top answers for challenges.
This attitude impacts team productivity and project deadlines, causing frustration. Another survey of more than 900 executives reported three-quarters of them to be dissatisfied with the work of recent Gen Z recruits. The issue cuts across industries, implying that it is a broad management problem.
Filling this gap necessitates a clarification of expectations, enhanced training, and reconfiguring workload arrangements. It also suggests examining more closely whether such perceptions are a result of work ethic disparities, skill imbalances, or differing views about work commitment.
4. The ‘Easily Offended’ Label
Another common complaint is that Gen Z workers are too sensitive or take things personally. The ResumeBuilder survey reported 35% of managers naming “take things personally or get offended easily” as an issue.
Intelligent.com’s findings substantiate this, revealing almost two-thirds of hiring managers find recent graduates to be entitled, and 63% consider them too easily offended. Entrepreneur Jessen James has written about this as a tendency to “crumble” under stress, causing managers to be reluctant to provide blunt feedback.
This dynamic can be a cap to career advancement if constructive feedback is eschewed. Managers view this sensitivity as a hindrance to work resilience, needing a more deliberate communication strategy.
5. Communication Skills Gap
Even with digital literacy, many managers find that Gen Z does not possess strong face-to-face communication skills. In the ResumeBuilder survey, 36% of respondents said they have trouble communicating clearly. Another survey identified 39% of leaders who think Gen Z has weak communication skills.
Experts say digital skills do not necessarily translate to office interactions. Marketing director Adam Garfield pointed out that Gen Z can work well with technology but can be weak at interpersonal interaction. Remote learning during the pandemic has likewise been associated with poorer development of face-to-face communication.
These are exacerbated to everyday protocol, i.e., keeping eye contact or enunciating, with 19% of managers mentioning inappropriate use of language in the workplace. This indicates targeted interpersonal skill training is necessary.
6. Motivation and Distraction Challenges
Numerous managers indicate that Gen Z employees are not motivated and are easily distracted. ResumeBuilder statistics indicate 37% mentioning “tough to stay motivated” and 36% mentioning they “get distracted easily.
This is viewed as a misfit with common expectations of sustained motivation and initiative. HR leader Akpan Ukeme referred to working with some Gen Zers as “exhausting” because of perceived lack of discipline.
The ubiquitous presence of digital technology might exacerbate distraction, although some propose that more appreciation at work could counteract this. Though office courtesy training can help, sustained motivation and concentration continue to be a chief issue.
7. The Pandemic’s Enduring Echo
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced Gen Z’s professional development. Many completed key education years in remote environments, limiting opportunities for natural development of in-person workplace skills.
Stacie Haller of ResumeBuilder notes that this generation may lack foundational professional skills because of these circumstances. Remote education fostered independence but reduced face-to-face collaboration experience.
This background predicts that difficulties might be circumstantial, not inherent. Overcoming them involves formal onboarding, customized training, and overt social skill development opportunities.
8. Moving Beyond the Stereotypes: Gen Z’s Assets
There is more to Gen Z than stereotypical discussion of challenges. They also contribute positive assets to the workplace. They are creative, flexible, and willing to challenge legacy norms.
Adam Garfield characterises them as having new, tech-oriented thinking and prioritising authenticity, transparency, and ethical behaviour. Surveys indicate high levels of support for diversity, equity, and inclusion and many calling for socially conscious business practices.
They are also excellent collaborators, employing both offline and online tools to establish relationships. These positives, if harnessed, can drive organisational flexibility and culture.
9. Redefining Ambition
For many in Gen Z, success is not defined by climbing a traditional career ladder. Instead, they prioritise purpose, personal growth, and work-life balance.
Bruce Feiler notes that they seek roles aligned with personal values rather than title progression alone. A Resume.io poll found 30% value a four-day workweek highly more than any other generation.
Most juggle full-time employment with side jobs, defying the laziness stereotype and exercising a realistic stance on economic conditions.
10. Changing Expectations
Gen Z anticipates workplaces that promote mental health, genuineness, and diversity. They openly discuss difficulties and view assistance as necessary to drive productivity, unlike older generations.
They appreciate compassionate cultures and expect corporate values to reflect their own. Even fun office amenities are viewed as enhancing wellness.
When they feel valued and appreciated, distractions decrease, suggesting engagement can be improved through genuine recognition and purpose-driven work.
11. Bridging the Generational Divide
To succeed with Gen Z, managers must adapt training, communication, and management styles. Traditional onboarding may not be enough.
More than half of surveyed leaders now offer office etiquette training, with many making it mandatory for Gen Z recruits. This focuses on conduct, communication, and collaboration norms.
Continual support, flexibility, and concise guidelines facilitate younger workers’ integration while fostering development. Ideally, the objective is balance between structure and flexibility.
12. Mapping a Collaborative Future
Gen Z’s perspective can be an asset, rather than merely a challenge. Their global, information-access-at-all-times worldview can provide added insight.
Leaders are encouraged to build environments in which individuals feel respected and at ease, allowing for open communication and collaboration. This can be leveraged to transform perceived deficits into organizational strengths.
In the end, all generations want respect and to feel taken care of in the workplace. Building on shared ground guarantees a more cohesive and resilient future workforce.
