Many managers feel that members of Generation Z are not as hardworking, driven, or resilient as other generations.

In April, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,344 managers and business leaders and discovered that 74% believe Gen Z is harder to work with compared to other generations.

We asked the 1,000 managers and business leaders who shared this view about their experiences working with Gen Z, and we found the following:

– 49% say it’s challenging to work with Gen Z most or all of the time.

– Many of these business leaders and managers prefer working with Millennials.

– The main reasons they find Gen Z difficult to work with are a lack of technological skills, effort, and motivation.

– 65% report that they have to fire Gen Z workers more often than employees from other generations.

– 12% have fired a Gen Z employee within a week of their start date.

– Being easily offended is one of the main reasons Gen Z workers get fired.

– 74% of managers say Gen Z is the most challenging generation to work with.

Overall, nearly three-quarters (74%) of managers and business leaders surveyed say they find Gen Z more difficult to work with than other generations.

About half (49%) of this group finds it difficult to work with Gen Z all (11%) or most of the time (39%). Additionally, 16% say they find it challenging a lot of the time, while 20% say some of the time and 10% say not much of the time. Only 4% said they almost never find it difficult.

Managers find Gen Z challenging to work with because they believe they lack technological skills (39%), effort (37%), and motivation (37%), among other skills and traits.

“Compared to other generations, I find Gen Z to be highly innovative and adaptable. They are not afraid to challenge the status quo and bring new ideas to the table. They also value authenticity and transparency and expect companies to be socially responsible and ethical,” says Adam Garfield, marketing director at Hairbro.

“However, one area where I believe Gen Z could improve in the workplace is their communication skills. While they are good at using digital communication tools, they may lack some of the interpersonal skills needed for face-to-face interactions. Gen Z could benefit from developing their communication skills to build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients,” adds Garfield.

Akpan Ukeme, the head of HR at SGK Global Shipping Services, finds it challenging to work with Gen Z employees.

“In our organization, the Gen Zs I have interacted with can be exhausting because they lack discipline, and they like to challenge you,” says Ukeme.

“I’ve had disagreements more than once with a Gen Z employee because our company is online-based, and they think they know everything about the digital world and that they can teach me. They think they’re better than you, smarter than you, more capable than you, and they will tell you to your face,” he continues.

Preference for Millennials Among Managers

One in three managers who find Gen Z difficult to work with prefer to hire Millennials. Among those who say Gen Z is the hardest generation to work with, 34% prefer to work with Millennials, 30% with Gen X, and 4% with Baby Boomers.

Managers who prefer Millennials say it’s because they believe this group is the most productive (44%) and has the best technological skills (42%).

Other managers prefer Gen X because they feel they are the most honest (46%) and productive (42%).

“As a result of COVID-19 and remote education, it’s possible that Gen

Zers lack the foundation to be more successful than older generations in entry-level positions,” says Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller.

“We know that with remote work and education, communication skills do not develop as well, and people tend to work more independently. Hiring managers need to be aware of this when interviewing Gen Zers for positions. This generation may need more training when it comes to professional skills.”

High Turnover Among Gen Z Employees

One in eight managers has fired a Gen Z employee within a week of their start date. Of the managers who find Gen Z difficult to work with, 59% say they’ve fired a Gen Z employee.

Many managers say it’s more common to have to let Gen Z workers go. In fact, 19% of managers and business leaders say it’s much more common, and 46% say it’s somewhat more common.

Some managers have had to part ways with Gen Z employees rather quickly. Twenty percent say they’ve had to fire a Gen Z employee within a week of the employee’s start date, while 27% say within a month.

The top reasons respondents say Gen Zers get fired are a lack of motivation and effort and being too easily offended.

Advice for Gen Z Employees

Jennifer Stapleton, a leading manager at Social Rise, offers some advice for how Gen Z can improve their performance in the workplace:

– Develop stronger interpersonal communication skills: While digital communication is essential, it’s also vital to communicate effectively in person or over the phone. Building strong relationships with coworkers and supervisors will go a long way in ensuring success in the workplace.

– Be open to feedback and learning from others: Gen Z is known for being independent and self-assured, but it’s essential to recognize that there is always more to learn. Being receptive to constructive criticism and seeking guidance from experienced colleagues can help them grow both professionally and personally.

– Demonstrate adaptability: The business world is constantly changing, and it’s important for Gen Z employees to show that they can adapt to new situations and challenges. By being flexible and open to change, they can prove themselves as valuable assets to any company.

“Gen Z needs to work on understanding the professional skills required to succeed in today’s workforce. However, the responsibility doesn’t just lie with Gen Z. Educational institutions need to properly prepare students, and managers and business leaders need to learn how to work with Gen Z. Bias against younger workers is unacceptable and no different from the ageism that we typically see against Baby Boomers,” says Haller.

Methodology

This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by the survey platform Pollfish on April 14, 2023. In total, 1,000 participants in the U.S. completed the full survey.

Respondents went through a primary screening to include only those who are managers or involved in hiring employees and a secondary screening to include only those who find Gen Z the most difficult generation to work with. Overall, 134 were disqualified by the primary screening question, and 347 by the secondary screener questions.

All participants had to pass through demographic filters to ensure they are currently employed, work at a company with more than 10 employees, have a household income of at least $50,000/year, and are at least 25 years of age.

Additionally, respondents had to identify their company role as manager-level or above.