Gen Z and the Workplace: A Manager’s Guide to Leading and Motivating Younger Employees

A lot of employers these days are struggling to manage their Gen Z employees. Managers complain that these individuals are self-entitled, opinionated, lazy and have unrealistic expectations.

So what’s so different about this generation? Before we dig deeper, a quick note for those who are unfamiliar with this term: “Gen Z” or “Generation Z” is a term used to indicate the people born between 1997 and 2012.

Let’s start by briefly pointing out Gen Z’s challenges. 

Gen Z is very exposed to fake news and propaganda and they sometimes have difficulty discerning between fact and personal opinion. They find meaning in serving a greater purpose that is not always adaptive or beneficial long-term. They are hungry for development and change, but are most often than not unable to set clear goals for their personal and professional life. 

Gen Zers are also called the “loneliest generation”, as they seem to have trouble building relationships in the real world. Their overprotective parents taught them that it’s essential to avoid physical harm, that having complete control over your environment is to be desired and that if you get loud enough you’ll get what you want. They no longer seek support and comfort in real life relationships, instead they rely on the safer, more predictable and obedient  alternative: their smartphone.  Their phone is their only true friend.

Gen Z is dopamine addicted. They are mindlessly scrolling through social media in the hope that the next video or post will trigger a small rush of pleasure. Their constant exposure to social media has changed their brains’ circuitry: they are self-conscious and insecure; their reality is distorted and they chase unrealistic and unattainable standards that will inevitably lead them to becoming anxious and depressed. 

They seek instant gratification: every ounce of effort needs to be correlated with a reward. Extra work is not for free, and they will rarely do their employer a favor out of the kindness of their heart. 

On a more positive note, Gen Zers seem to be concerned with equality of opportunity and the environment. They are very interested in contributing to building a better future for humans, a future defined by prosperity, fairness and freedom – and this says a lot about them! It’s clear that this new generation is loud and driven by strong ideals, and that they have a lot of potential.

Gen Zers are called the first “digital natives”, they have quick access to more free information and inexpensive technology than any other generation before them. The advancement of technology allowed them to effortlessly build the largest social network of all times; these individuals are more connected with each other than ever before. 

Ok, so now that we know what we are dealing with, how can we manage these young people? 

Let’s do a quick recap first: we are dealing with highly driven individuals who have high hopes for humanity, have access to almost infinite information, have access to inexpensive technology, but struggle with setting realistic goals. Do you see the solution yet?

Remember that high performance can be facilitated through the combination of the following factors: motivation, access to proper knowledge and tools, and self-efficacy. 

Gen Zers are motivated, which is the most important factor, so you don’t need to worry about that. They can be provided easy access to valuable information, you just need to catch their attention and steer them in the right direction; and technology is getting more accessible by the day, so getting the proper tools shouldn’t be an issue either. We are left with building their self-efficacy belief – this can be done by offering support and gradually guiding them out of their comfort zone. Let’s put all these ideas into one sentence: Gen Zers have the capability to become valuable contributors, they just need your guidance and support to achieve that.

If Gen Zers don’t feel inspired to follow you on your journey, then there’s a pretty good chance that your dream is not making a difference in the world. Are your products or services positively impacting people’s lives, or you’re in it just for the money? Because if you’re in it just for the money, then G Zers, who are more observant than previous generations, will notice that and will refuse to do more than the bare minimum.

Don’t expect Gen Zers to put in extra work or go above and beyond in their job without having the prospect of being fairly rewarded for their additional effort. This new generation realized that we work to live and not the other way around – they will do more only if you offer more and as long as that does not drastically impact their life outside of work. 

The age of the transactional, uninvolved manager is gone. The age of micromanagement is also gone. If you plan to survive the future you need to adapt to the new generation of workers: be agile, transparent, educate, provide support and treat them with respect. Gen Zers need mentors, not bosses! 

Conclusion

Are Gen Zers a bad generation to work with? No, not at all! They are the future and we, the leaders, need to find new strategies to attract, motivate and keep them in our organizations.

Bottom line, Gen Zers are not the problem, outdated inflexible leaders are.