Managing Gen Z at Work: 9 Strategies and Tips for Today’s Leaders

Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z is the newest generation in the workforce. Gen Z has been shaped by uncertainty and disruption—including digital growth, global events, and economic shifts—yet craves stability and brings a strong sense of authenticity and purpose to their roles. 

But for all their adaptability and technical prowess, members of Gen Z—much like Millennials and Gen X before them—are often (and perhaps unfairly) criticized for their perceived shortcomings in the workplace. In fact, 40% of managers feel that Gen Z isn’t prepared for work, with 45% of hiring managers saying that Gen Z is the most difficult generation to work with.  

However, it’s not because Gen Z is inherently inept; they simply seem to lack the human skills previous generations take for granted, revealed by the 70% of managers who believe that Gen Z lacks communication skills and overall work ethic. Understandably, this can cause frustration for many leaders, with almost 40% of managers saying they prefer to use AI than to hire Gen Z workers, while 60% of employers say they’ve fired new Gen Z employees within months of hiring them. 

That being said, it’s equally telling that 75% of managers say they don’t understand what Gen Z needs in the workplace. And because Gen Z is poised to make up 30% of the total workforce by 2030, it’s crucial that organizations identify and address these needs—not only to attract and retain Gen Z in the short term but to help them truly thrive and make meaningful contributions to the workforce for the foreseeable future.  

Greatness lies within each of us. In order to find it, we have to leap over the paradigms that limit us toward new paradigms that liberate us.

— Todd Davis, author of Everyone Deserves a Great Manager
and former chief people officer, FranklinCovey

By seeking first to understand Gen Z, your organization’s leaders can more effectively manage these new hires and provide them the support they need to acclimate to the workplace. Appreciating the unique conditions that influenced Gen Z’s development, as well as the distinct skills they bring to the table and the potential challenges they now face at work, will help today’s leaders close crucial gaps and put these recent grads on a clearer path to success.   

Gen Z Employees: Key Characteristics and Challenges 

Although they’re known for being ambitious and adaptable, Gen Z prioritizes job stability, as well as transparency in the workplace. They don’t just want open communication at work; they expect it. Studies have found that entry-level employees—the group in which Gen Z most often finds itself—are increasingly seeking clear, authentic, and vision-driven communication from the C-suite, with these employees overwhelmingly saying they don’t have the necessary understanding and context related to goals and business objectives to do their jobs well.  

That desire for information speaks to Gen Z’s hunger for knowledge. In fact, surveys show that 65% of Gen Z respondents describe themselves as being eager to learn, with nearly one-quarter of Gen Zers saying that learning and development opportunities act as a prime motivator at work. And as self-driven learners, Gen Z employees seek out environments that support both their individual development and their ability to make an impact. They often gravitate toward a more collaborative workplace structure, as opposed to a traditional hierarchy, where they feel their voices and ideas can make a difference. To that end, they also seek to fulfill their sense of purpose at work; they’re colloquially known as the purpose-driven generation, with nearly two-thirds of Gen Z saying it’s “very or extremely important” that they work for employers who share their values.  

But while Gen Z wants to fulfill their purpose and live their values at work, that doesn’t mean they’re willing to be chained to their desks. Gen Zers place immense value on work-life balance, with 32% of Gen Z employees ranking work-life balance as the top priority when evaluating jobs (compared to 28% of Millennials and 25% of Gen Xers who say the same). Many see workplace flexibility as a way to counteract burnout, with 73% of Gen Zers saying they want permanent, flexible alternatives to the in-office 9-to-5.  

But whether they’re working remotely or at the office, Gen Z also values the opportunity to collaborate with others and receive recognition for their contributions. Data reveals that 78% of young Millennial and Gen Z workers want to receive recognition at least a few times a month from their manager or supervisor. Interestingly, even though 83% of Gen Zers say they want to feel more appreciated at work, one survey found that Gen Z employees receive the most workplace recognition out of any generation. However, the way in which generations wish to be recognized may differ. Because Gen Z thrives on authentic communication, they often value when recognition from their managers extends beyond simple Slack messages to tactile representations of appreciation like bonuses, raises, promotions, or career development opportunities.  

Of course, you can’t talk about Gen Z in the workplace without mentioning their technical skills. This generation was the first to experience the internet as a given part of daily life. As digital natives, they instinctively use technology to learn, communicate, and innovate. This can be a huge benefit to businesses attempting to leverage rapidly evolving tech like artificial intelligence, as the majority of Gen Z currently uses AI tools. However, surveys show that this generation often lacks the critical thinking skills required to assess the accuracy and overall value of AI-generated results.  

This gap illustrates a larger challenge for many Gen Zers: While they have technical know-how and are able to adapt to new advancements more quickly than previous generations, they often exhibit gaps in the so-called “soft skills” that help employees thrive at work.  

For the full article: https://www.franklincovey.com/blog/managing-gen-z-at-work/