To think Gen Z is difficult to manage at work?

[donniedarko89]

I have noticed younger people tend to be more cynical and argumentative, with less work boundaries/respect for hierarchies (which is not necessarily a bad thing, but can come across as presumption/arrogance). This makes it more difficult to manage them at work imo.

Have you noticed any similar behaviours?

Does that take into account odd days or long term?
Because let's be honest, 50-64 is when people start getting horrible age related health issues such as cancers.
I'm sure no-one begrudge time off for radical surgery and chemo, heart related issues etc.

Our gen z thinks nothing of taking 3 days off for a cold
As I said earlier, he's great now but the sickness is still an issue.

I have seen this problem so much at work. One staff member complaining every time she was asked to do something (which was part of her job), stating she was being bullied all the time, by everyone that is, and we have never had bullying reports here.

At what point did I say that I worked in an office? At what point did I say that I worked with "like three young people" (I'm in my 20s by the way, younger than anyone in my grade, almost across my entire industry). You've got a very vivid imagination, have you thought about writing fantasy fiction?

I haven't even claimed that my experience (I haven't even said anything about my experience working with Gen Z, mostly because again I'm one of the youngest in my grade) is representative of anything. What is apparent though from the posts many people have written is that there is a growing issue with some people who won't even do their contracted minimum, never mind going above and beyond.

Old people are more susceptible to illness and injuries. Surely that's obvious. A 21 year old off waiting for a hip replacement would be unusual. Difference is that a hip replacement is a good reason to be off. A hangover isn't.

Then you were clearly luckier than I and my siblings and friends. Rejoice!

Thats because we've realised that we are going to be the ones left holding the baby when all of the boomers have gone off on their final cruise and then we will be the ones trying to explain to Gen Z why they can't have a house, or a decent job.

In a nutshell - nicely put 👏

Yeah because there are no poor boomers or boomers with any issues whatsoever.

You have zero fucking idea of what some of us are having to deal with and still going to work every day.

I find this age group the easiest tbh. The people who moan, complain & backbite are the 40+ lot (I'm 60+).

I think people closer to retirement complain about management bullshit more. I am in this age range and we have heard it all. Don't try and sell me some stupid management bullshit that is just the latest fad.

I've got 2 new members of the department I lead. One is early 20s one late 30s. The order one takes all feedback graciously and is always asking how they can improve. The younger one ignored all feedback I gave then (I'm their mentor) until it came to the boss giving them feedback where they cried for 3 days because it was so bad. Every thing they said was what I had already said and if they had acted on my feedback rather than ignoring it (because someone who has done the job very successfully for 16 years doesn't have a clue!) they wouldn't have had this awful feedback.

So yes gen z are much harder to manage. I get the taking less shit (but then I don't take shit and I'm not gen z!) But thinking you know better than the people who have being the job for years and ignoring what they say is never going to get you far in life!

There is definitely a higher percentage of snowflake in younger workers. Many struggle with words/phrases like "no", "that's wrong" or "can you do it again"

To be honest so do lots of older ones especially if you are trying to work on databes they apparently worked on last 5 years🙈

I’m sure much the same was said when boomers were entering the workplace, war veterans running things thinking the new gens were spoiled brats. Circle of life.

Yes I work with 3 and only one seems to be willing to put in the work that the role requires. The other two sit there gossiping and putting patients on hold, having a laugh at them and generally not caring that they are dealing with sick people with serious health conditions. One feigned covid last week and let it slip she was off on a bender. The other one cries her eyes out (yes really) if she is spoken to in anything other than a complimentary adoring tone. The atmosphere is just awful, I hate going in now, I find them exhausting to deal with.

I work with some colleagues of that age groups, they’re all very different. Some work hard, some don’t, some never have a day off, some are never in, some are argumentative and some are very polite etc etc. In any age group people are individuals, some are workers and some are shirkers.

I am Gen X and experiencing some menopausal bloat which has took me up to a size 16. :(

However, a lot of the Gen Z I work with make me feel positively tiny! A lot of them have to be size 22 plus. I hardly knew anyone obese 30 years ago when I was in my 20s. Symptom of never being told no, I guess!

Yep some older snowflakes too

I'm in nursing, you get 23 year olds just out of university in band 6 roles. I don't want to sound spiteful but they are absolutely clueless, they've no idea how to run the ward and look to the older band 5s for help, when they get the help they will take all credit, they can never be wrong and when they are caught out, they are being picked.

Agree but they were much tougher back then.

😂yeah, no.

More this :
”Lack of resilience. The need to take a mental health day or go sick if they’ve missed or are going to miss a deadline. Refusal to do any admin. Even if that’s their job. Won’t do anything they don’t want to do. Not much work ethic. Think it’s acceptable to drift in at 11.”

And agree they can never, ever be wrong either. Painful to work with.

I find these posts a bit weird. I run my own company and I have trained, mentored and managed every generation.

It’s not the generation, it’s the person!

I have a hugely diverse team spanning all generations at the moment who, on the whole, are a great bunch who get along without any bitching and back stabbing and just get their work done in the allotted hours, which is all I want.

Some have overvalued themselves on the odd occasion, again, not generational, but when it’s been broken down to them how my opinion differed to theirs in meetings and rationalised with evidence to back my position we have found compromise and common ground.

Yes, I have had some people who haven’t worked out, because their values and beliefs don’t align with the business and/or their colleagues, but that’s not ever been anything to do with their ‘generation’. More to do with their upbringing as a whole which has shaped their personalities, values and beliefs (as it has with all of us) and each company will have its own culture and someone that doesn’t fit ours will fit somewhere else perfectly…. That’s life! It’s why you interview!

I do find though, and it makes me smile, having taken apprentices across the generations… Every time a new apprentice starts the old ones quickly forget how they used to be just the same when they required training and support and try to criticise until they are gently reminded they were once just the same in their own unique way!

We have a new Gen Z recruit and I understand all you've said.

It's the whole I know it all so I don't have to listen attitude but then gets it wrong. Confident (not a bad thing) but easily distracted.

Won't accept what one person says so has to run it past 3 others who all say the same thing.

Doesn't do what's asked but will do stuff that's not. Changes process without consultation. Entitled to voice opinions about people without observing own lack of experience.

The list goes on. Utterly utterly frustrating.

Definitely my experience too.