Managers are Reporting That Gen Z Workers are “Lazy” and “Lack the Basic Social Skills Necessary to Hold a Job”

Generation Z consists of people who were born between 1996 and 2010, making Gen Zers anywhere from 13 to 27 years old. The young crowd of workers has infuriated managers across various industries, leaving many bosses frustrated and confused about how to effectively lead their Gen Z employees toward success.

Gen Zers are typically young people who are in high school, college, entering the workforce with their first real job. Members of this demographic have been accused of being “too emotional” while at work, leaving their superiors unable to properly manage them on the job.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, most millennial managers view Gen Zers as a liability simply because they let their emotions get the best of them. While it’s been suggested that many Gen Z workers struggle to fit in at their place of employment, it certainly doesn’t help that their managers are unsure how to guide them.

Of the people who were polled, some of them were millennials (born between 1981-1996), while others were baby boomers (born between 1946-1964). Their varying perspectives were interesting and some of their experiences with Gen Z workers may shock you.

According to Jeff Elkins, the director of security for a Florida casino, many of the Gen Zers he’s hired have wasted valuable time on the job searching for ”gray areas” on topics he considers to be “very black and white.” This trait has often led to Elkins being frustrated by his Gen Z employee’s inability to focus on getting their work done.

Elkins says that standard operating procedures that have been in place for decades have been called “antiquated” by Gen Z employees. He further added that Gen Z workers generally “feel [the rules] don’t apply to them.”

While she’s had her fair share of negative experiences with Gen Zers on the job, she hasn’t completely ruled out all young workers. “It’s a hit or miss,” said Forrest. “I would say 70% don’t work out because they lack motivation and initiative. It’s irritating because most of the time I end up doing all the work despite my efforts of delegating.”

As a young, yet determined millennial, she admitted that society viewing her peers as lazy is “beyond frustrating,” before adding that young workers were once seen as the most viable and vivacious members within a workplace setting. “How the tides have changed is jarring,” she said.

In his field, Cusask cited “summarizing data in a trackable, digital format” as being something that young employees excelled at. While he admitted that Gen Z workers are prone to “shutting down,” Cusack wouldn’t say it’s all because of laziness. “Personally, I would say what I notice about Gen Z is a tendency to turn inwards out of fear of being wrong,” he said.

Since so many things are done online these days, many recent graduates lack certain on-the-job skills. It is pivotal for managers to understand this generational challenge and pivot their managing style to help Gen Zers develop proper workplace skills.

“They are more likely to trade off salary for better quality of work although salary is an important factor,” he said. But Bhattacharya pointed out what is standing in the way of Gen Z workers feeling valued and appreciated: “Most organizations do not have high-quality roles in entry-level positions,” he said, “Which is a major cause [of] why they feel disengaged.”

From how to talk to their bosses to what’s appropriate to wear to work, Gen Z has mastered social media. When they have a problem, they connect, talk, and share experiences in order to come to a resolution. Those qualities alone are valuable assets within the workplace.