Is Gen Z asking for too much at the workplace?

A few months ago a Gen Z employee shadowed me for a day to learn the nuances of sports management To my surprise the next day he quitrdquo recalls Varun Arora a marketing official with a Singaporebased sports management firmldquoThe human resources department called to ask if I had said something that may have upset him But that wasnrsquot the case A few days later I realised it wasnrsquot about me The junior employeemdashwho had seemed quite competent and came from a welloff backgroundmdashtold HR that the work pressure was too much for him to handlerdquoBased in Mumbai and working with Gen Z colleagues for the last four years Arora 30 says this youngest generation to join the workforce is ldquoentitledrdquo ldquoThey do not have to work for survival at least not the privileged city slickers who attend Englishmedium schools Those from smaller towns and humble backgrounds would still put up with things an average privileged city kid finds unacceptablerdquo says the executiveEsha Nagar Founder and CEO of PegboardThis is not an isolated incident In May 2024 Resume Genius an organisation that provides tools and insights for job seekers reported that 45 per cent of US hiring managers find Gen Zmdashborn between the mid1990s and early 2010smdashto be the most challenging generation to work with It echoes the concerns that were once raised about Millennials by BoomersRobert Subramaniam name changed 60 a topranking official with a governmentowned oil corporation has worked with employees across several generations in his fourdecadelong career Gen Z he feels struggles with workplace adaptability ldquoIf they find a job challenging they quickly label everything as subpar and move onrdquo he says adding ldquoCommunication differences are a key issue with Gen Z They struggle to write a formal email and often use incorrect language This is partly because of their reliance on Artificial IntelligencerdquoOn the other hand one of Gen Zrsquos major strengths is an innate familiarity with technology As per a 2020 report by the World Economic Forum 93 per cent of this generation uses smartphones regularlymdashthis is at least twice as much as than any other generation including Millennials Having grown up with access to the Internet social media and cell phones a majority of Gen Z youngsters are proficient in multiple digital platformsRishika Kashyap Utkarsh Rai Harnidh Kaur and Kavya JoseSubramaniam notes how different things were when he started his career in the midrsquo80s ldquoBack then we would learn only till we graduated from college and it would pretty much stop there Gen Z however is much more curious especially when it comes to technology and how they use it to learn new things regularly Their speed and efficiency in using tech is exceptionalrdquoFund manager Harnidh Kaurrsquos entire team comprises Gen Z employees and she loves working with them ldquoMy team is great to work with but I think Gen Z are not fans of ambiguity At work they need clear instructions and specific targets they need to achieverdquo she says adding ldquoCOVID19 disrupted a lot of things for this generation as they began their careers remotely Being physically present at work feels foreign to them which might explain why they struggle with traditional workplace structuresrdquoAs more workplaces switch back to a workfromoffice system Gen Z employees vociferously defend their right to continue working from home Media professional Rishika Kashyap argues ldquoWhy should we spend a fortune on commuting for a meagre starting salary especially when we can achieve the same quality of work remotely Structure and discipline can be maintained remotely toordquoA survey by US educational platform Intelligent in December 2023 found that nearly 40 per cent employers avoid hiring Gen Z going as far as to offer higher pay and more benefits to attract older workers for the same positions But corporations have more to gain if they try to understand how they can help the younger generation be better employees Gen Z comprises nearly 30 per cent of the global population Of this group almost half have already entered the workforce Their average representation in the global workforce is about 27 per cent and will continue to rise in coming yearsEsha Nagar founder of Pegboardmdasha company which works in the field of culture bridgingmdashgives a broader context for the generational divide highlighting how it often revolves around differing views on mental health and worklife balance She notes ldquoBridging the generational gap requires communication Overcommunication is sometimes necessary but the older generation must also let go of their ego to better understand the needs of Gen ZrdquoldquoFor this generation worklife balance is nonnegotiable I know of resignations that have happened over this issue Itrsquos crucial to bring in policies that support a hybrid work system as this generation started their careers working from home and continued doing so for over two yearsrdquo she stressesThis opinion is backed by the findings of a 2023 Deloitte Global survey which highlighted that Gen Z workers often prioritise job satisfaction and personal wellbeing over job security leading to higher turnover rates compared to older generationsIs the constant switching of jobs a marker of an inability to stick it out when the going gets toughldquoI have noticed Gen Z lacks perseverance and has lower tolerance for failuresmdashboth of which are crucial for gaining experiencehellip They may have the degrees and the knowledge but they seem indecisive when it comes to their choice of profession When our generation had started out people would stick to one job and did not immediately consider moving But with Gen Z from day one they are not clear about what work they want to do or which company they want to work withrdquo says SubramaniamKaur 30 a Millennial says the way the younger generation perceives the online versus offline world doesnrsquot differ much which means their expectations often donrsquot match the reality of the workplace ldquoSometimes the job requires a certain level of rigour but Gen Z might feel like itrsquos a lot of pressure to handle Their understanding of wellbeing often comes from Instagram therapists Any situation that feels uncomfortable is quickly labelled as lsquobad mental healthrsquo But the fact is that it could very well be due to bad work management or poor prioritisationrdquoShe adds though that todayrsquos jobhopping 20yearolds will eventually have to change their style ldquoIn four to five years when they reach the midmanagement level theyrsquore going to see a sharp difference in their current working style You can only learn and be good at your job if you have gone through the troubles of being in a teamrdquo she saysAsk Gen Z though and theyrsquoll tell you the odds are stacked against them ldquoOur generation has entered a workforce that is not only more talented and educated but also far more competitive than in the past This heightened competition along with the rise of generative AI adds to the pressure and contributes to burnoutrdquo says Utkarsh Rai 24ldquoMoreover as we joined the workforce we encountered widespread layoffs and hiring freezes particularly in whitecollar jobs Employers are increasingly seeking candidates with highly specific skill sets that typically require extensive experience and a distinctive work profile This situation amplifies our generationrsquos demand for meaningful work as our value as workers hinges on the relevance and impact of our rolesrdquo he addsAakanksha Singh 34 who recruits for auditing firm Ernst and Young says job satisfaction is a prime factor for this generation ldquoUp until the Millennials employees have been satisfied just to earn a good salary But the younger generation wants meaningful work which should be seen as a positive traitrdquoAmong recruiters the jury is still out on Gen Z Kavya Jose 30 a senior professional who formulates HR policies for multiple MNCs says ldquoGen Z is definitely a more difficult generation to work with They may come in late because they want a workspace that allows for relaxation Their idea of a conducive work environment is quite different from what older generations might expect But at the same time their demands are also somewhat fair In an era where we prioritise sensitive behaviour and a better quality of life having a few days of workfromhome and not dealing with toxicity isnrsquot entirely unreasonablerdquoPerhaps itrsquos time to see Gen Z more as a catalyst for change in the corporate world Rishika Kashyap says ldquoGen Z is more vocal about mental health because we are more aware of it Gen Z refusing to accept toxicity and drawing healthy boundaries should not be seen as being overly sensitivemdashitrsquos about setting standards for a healthier workplacerdquoAlso Read Does college impart skills for the real world Gen Z answers