Rookies in a New Playing Field: How Gen-Z is Redefining the Workplace

Jamie Jules

Staff Writer

The entry of a young generation into the workforce is not a new phenomenon. However, Generation Z, which comprises Americans born between 1997 and 2012, presents unique challenges within a dynamic labor market. These challenges highlight a need for vital experience among junior candidates and a disconnect between today’s employers and employees, which Forbes, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal attribute largely to the pandemic.

The World Economic Forum projects that Gen-Z will make up 27 percent of the workforce by 2025 in countries such as the United States, though Forbes reports that managers and business leaders are not eager to work with this group. In fact, 74 percent of the respondents expressed difficulty working with Gen-Z compared to other generations, according to a ResumeBuilder.com survey. The respondents listed a few factors that they believe contribute to Gen-Z’s problem: entitlement and a lack of professional skills. These factors may lead to Gen-Z losing their jobs or employers preferring to hire older candidates. 

Complications extend beyond the workplace and into the hiring process. The Guardian writes that human resource workers sense “frostiness” throughout their interactions with young applicants, as they wish to avoid small talk. Interviewees cannot necessarily prepare for it, which does not help that an overwhelming number of applicants consider the job search “one of life’s most stressful experiences,” The Guardian further discloses. The source reached out to young workers to share their thoughts on the matter and found parallels: Gen-Z exhibit frustration with what they deem the trivial, stressful components of interviews―small talk, proper attire, and eye contact. However, The Guardian does note that researchers find that small talk could foster personal connections, which is essential to office politics. To address this issue, the Wall Street Journal explains how college professors educate their students on the “basics” of professionalism, such as conversing and writing cover letters.

These findings raise questions about whether younger individuals truly lack the work ethic, or if the current system is not suited for their unprecedented circumstances: the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes reveals how hybrid and remote work environments have stunted professional growth, hindering opportunities for Gen-Z to gain real-world experience. Undergraduates now encounter new obstacles, as the pandemic slimmed their chances of landing jobs and internships that would build up the impressive, distinguished resumes that attract employers in a competitive labor market.

Not only did the pandemic cost Gen-Z years of experience, but it also took a toll on their mental health. Forbes writes that interpersonal skills could suffer because of isolation, which became a reality for countless individuals during quarantine. It suggests that Gen-Z’s underperformance in the workplace isn’t entirely their fault but an outcome of an unfortunate situation. The source also addresses Gen-Z’s high media consumption and its negative effects on mental health. As they compared themselves to others online, Gen-Z continuously worried about their current job situation, paying off college debt, and inability to afford a car, apartment, or home. While these are legitimate concerns, such comparisons can damage their self-perception, which in turn influences their social interactions. The transition of online to in-person spaces may have been abrupt for this group, leaving them to grapple with navigating social situations confidently.

Yet the integration of technology in the workplace prompted significant changes in the professional environment. 

BBC News describes Gen-Z’s technological upbringing and remote work and its impact on how Gen-Z behaves in professional settings. Social media calls for an informal, expressive tone that the generation has grown accustomed to but clashes with the workplace’s professional language. However, BBC News reports that company leaders and their junior employees are working to navigate that balance in communication. Personal expression could serve the workplace best to some extent, like during team meetings, but formality should not be entirely disregarded. 

While employers may consider Gen-Z difficult, Forbes states that they are merely different. It will take time for the labor market to adjust to this new cohort, as it has always done so for previous generations. Gen-Z has brought forth changes in how companies operate, as young workers place high value on mental wellness, job flexibility, financial security, and transparency, reports the Wall Street Journal. Companies are tasked with learning to understand these young workers. They offer mentoring for employees transitioning from a strictly remote to in-person working arrangements and additional accommodations. When Gen-Z employees request free therapy or express concern over their pay, for example, every other employee benefits once companies act on these demands, the Wall Street Journal explains.

With guidance, Gen-Z can hone skills, such as communication, while companies draw value from young employees’ perspectives. Together, the changes they implement have a lasting impact on the modern workplace.

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