- Generation Z will make up a third of the workforce by 2030, but there is uncertainty about how to manage them effectively.
- Gen Z, who came of age during the pandemic and are now facing geopolitical crises, are misunderstood and exhausted.
- I’m a Gen Z who recently joined the workforce – here are three things I want my future bosses to know.
As a Gen Z who recently joined the squad, reading loads of “how to deal with gen z at work” online guides puzzle me and amuse me. It’s only in recent years that I’ve begun to realize how intimidating my generation seemed to the generations before us. We are often seen as “disconnected”, “sensitive“, And “self-proclaimed“. It’s as if we were a generation to be frowned upon or feared.
These common Gen Z stereotypes still crack me up. Sometimes because they seem really absurd, but more often because of how we are framed in the most negative and malevolent way possible. Something as benign as “wanting more time for our personal lives” would be interpreted as “to be lazy and wanting to slack off,” or “wanting to leave a toxic workplace” would be twisted into “not being resilient enough and disloyal to the company.”
In other words, Gen Z fell victim to the “children nowadays“tradition, the phenomenon of an older generation nitpicking the behavior of a younger generation.
Generally defined as anyone born between 1997 and 2015generation Z soon make a third of the work force. What we want is quite simple, and our “claims” will not only benefit us but also change workplace for the best.
Here are the three things I would like my future bosses to know about my management as a Gen Z employee:
1. I don’t dream of a job. I will take breaks when I need and want to.
I no longer intend to subscribe to hustle culture, a outlook that many of my peers also seem to have.
The job rightly does not and should not require huge sacrifices from me as an employee.
Especially with wages are stagnating despite the cost of living keep going upselling my body and soul to a corporation and still can’t afford to pay Decent housing just doesn’t make sense to me.
Contrary to Generation X, where working hard and earning an honest living was enough to fulfill the dream of affordable housing, it is virtually impossible for millennials and gen Zs to own property without going into substantial debt.
The job just became a way to pay my living expenses. Enjoying my life outside of work became my only rational coping mechanism.
2. I will not devote my whole life to one business and will not hesitate to leave for better opportunities.
My workplace is where I will spend most of my waking hours, which is why I won’t think twice about it job jump if a better offer is presented to me. That doesn’t necessarily mean higher pay, but also a job that better aligns with my values, helps me grow as a person, and matches my work style.
Since companies never hold back when it comes to dismissal employees to cut costs, I have no reason to pledge allegiance to a company that views me as disposable.
Being part of the generation that is the most politically involved With a strong determination to implement positive social change, the way my company deals with environmental and social issues will also mean a lot to me.
3. I’m not trying to be rude or unprofessional by foregoing company jargon, I just think it’s a waste of time.
It’s laborious to go through the unnecessary mental gymnastics necessary to understand what is complicated corporate lingo. Phrases such as “closing the loop”, “having the bandwidth” or “turning around” mean nothing by themselves. The time I will need to get used to this corporate lingo can definitely be better spent doing something that will actually benefit the company.
Getting straight to the point not only saves time and effort, but also avoids any risk of miscommunication on either side.