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Differences In Behavior And Expectations Between Generation Z And Older Employees Are Causing Friction At Work, Leading Managers To Rethink Their Positions.
One in five managers has considered quitting due to the stress of supervising Generation Z employees. This data comes from a survey conducted in October last year by Intelligent.com, which interviewed one thousand managers in the United States. The survey highlights the challenges leaders face when dealing with professionals in this age group.
Many Managers Are Considering Quitting
The study reveals that 18% of managers considered leaving their positions due to the impact of Generation Z on the work environment. Excessive cell phone use and a lack of work ethic are cited as frequent difficulties.
Two-thirds of respondents say they have adapted their management style to deal with young professionals. Additionally, 75% say these employees require more time and resources. The tension between different generations in the workplace is also mentioned by half of the consulted managers.
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Another relevant statistic is that 27% of respondents would avoid hiring Generation Z employees, and 50% have already fired someone from that group.
Difficulties In Working With Generation Z
Managing Generation Z has caused frustration for 51% of managers. Meanwhile, 44% report that the experience causes stress.
Other common feelings include disappointment (31%), increased workload (27%), and the need for extra resources (26%). Some managers also report a decline in personal productivity (20%), a sense of overload (20%), and burnout (16%).
According to the chief education and career development consultant at Intelligent.com, Huy Nguyen, part of this frustration can be explained by a misalignment of expectations.
He points out that, due to the pandemic, many Generation Z professionals have had fewer opportunities to develop interpersonal skills in traditional environments.
Despite having strong technical skills, these young people may lack practical experience acquired through in-person interactions. Nguyen suggests that managers reassess their expectations and offer structured guidance.
He also emphasizes the importance of establishing clear communication guidelines and work processes. “Without organizing the workflow and understanding the dependencies, things can become chaotic, and misunderstandings can easily turn into bigger problems.“, he explains.
Cell Phone Use At Work
Excessive cell phone use in the professional environment is the biggest challenge cited by managers. Fifty percent of respondents point to this habit as a difficulty. Other issues include a low work ethic (47%), lack of initiative (45%), difficulty managing time (44%), and lack of professionalism (43%).
Among those who identified a lack of professionalism, 58% mention the attitude of young people. Another 53% question the communication skills of Generation Z, while 45% highlight difficulties in the way they receive feedback.
To address these difficulties, 65% of managers say they have changed their management style. Among the main strategies are providing more frequent feedback (44%), micromanagement (38%), adjustments for a better work-life balance (35%), and more time for task execution (32%).
A Lot Of Work And Time
Three out of four managers say that Generation Z requires more time and resources than other generations. Additionally, 54% report having received inappropriate or improper communications from employees in this age group.
Nguyen believes that employers need to assess the organizational culture to better address these changes. According to him, Generation Z seeks flexibility, which can drive companies to adopt new technologies and more modern work processes.
However, he warns of the risk of excessive dependence on feedback and guidance, which can compromise the development of these professionals’ autonomy.
Tension In The Workplace
The tension between different generations in the corporate environment is also a relevant factor. Fifty-two percent of managers point out that Generation Z employees cause conflicts with older professionals.
The main reason for these frictions is the difference in attitudes and expectations at work, according to 76% of respondents. Other factors include communication problems (62%), divergent priorities (47%), and different working styles (42%).
More than half of managers (54%) believe that Generation Z habits negatively affect the overall productivity of the team.
Nguyen notes that conflicts between different age groups in the workplace are not new. With the entry of new generations, there is always an adaptation period. Older professionals may feel challenged by new approaches and priorities.
In the case of Generation Z, he highlights that the differences are amplified by online information consumption and the influence of digital content.
In this scenario, 27% of managers say they would avoid hiring Generation Z if given the option. Additionally, half of the respondents report having fired someone from that age group.
Nonetheless, 54% continue to hire these professionals to fill junior positions. Other reasons include cost-effectiveness (47%) and concerns about age discrimination (34%). Some managers also cite the lack of candidates from other generations as a reason to keep hiring Generation Z.
The Intelligent.com survey highlights the difficulties faced by managers in supervising Generation Z employees and the necessary changes to adapt the corporate environment to this new reality.
Preocupante! Quem dará prosseguimento às fontes geradoras de trabalho e co nsequente riqueza necessárias à sobrevivência humana?
Quanto mimimi!
Gerente, se não está satisfeito com o trabalho de algum colaborador, é só o desligar! Olha que simples!!! Agora, ficar fazendo matériazinha para justificar sua baixa produtividade, não dá! Tem um monte de gente querendo trabalhar e vocês com esses **** mimados, ocupando o lugar de um profissional!
Manda os mimadinhos da mamãe pra casa e contrate, já avisando como é e o ritmo de trabalho da empresa. Fica quem quer!
Essa turma não gosta é de trabalhar. Isso sim!!