Gen z stereotypes at work

[howreyou]

I have now been promoted at work into a senior role. I have worked for my company for 5 years and this is my 2nd promotion. I constantly get comments about how young I am and generalisations about my generation being difficult in the workplace. I find the comments a bit odd as I don’t necessarily fit in with my generation, and I don’t really understand the stereotype. Aibu or is there something I need to be conscious of? Feel like there’s a bit of stigma I need to overcome.

How much is constantly? That might be a stereotype right there 😉

How big is the organization? Who else is gen z? In my experience you'll have had one person come before you that embodies all the stereotypes and you'll have to just say "ah well I'm not Tim!"

What stereotypes are we talking about though? My experience with genz is that they're just not as committed to the workplace, which is great for them, but frustrating for those of us who have been socialized into turning up, answering emails, doing a bit extra, not having wellbeing days etc.

What do you do? The gen z I've worked with tend to be what is known as 'too posh to wash' the patients.. so won't deal with bodily fluids, have a wellbeing day and call in sick, don't want to deal with family members, don't see why they can't prioritise getting their makeup on over being in work for handover on time... basically 'we're lucky to have them'

Every generation has stereotypes put upon them. I manage quite some big teams with gen x, millennials and gen z. I don’t agree with the stereotypes at all. Because I see a big enough cross section of generations to see how it’s more about personality than generation, on the whole.

I would say don’t over think it. Be you. Don’t worry about not fitting the stereotype and trying to act differently to prove it wrong. Just be you. You got the job because they wanted you in the job. So carry on doing what you do.

@MyHornCanPierceTheSky that made me laugh but to be honest, that sort of personality archetype exists across generations. Lots of people wouldn’t want to get their hands dirty. I have loads of equivalent slackers at my workplace!

Also my workplace doesn’t have wellbeing days, what are they? For us it’s just “call in sick” if you can’t come in!

I think my workplace has official scheduled ones (I've never taken them) but gen z employees regularly, at least twice a month will 'phone in sick' claiming they need time for their wellbeing.

The result is that they get unofficially out on the process to manage them out and stop getting assigned any important or career improving work.

I'd say gen z are encouraged to look for labels and identity/ combat (false) prejudice against them so in that way your post is very gen z.

Also it were ever thus that young people have to prove themselves in the workplace. It's not unusual.

There are common stereotypes of all the generations.of course not everyone fits the stereotype but you see trends.

Gen z imho:

• work to their hours. Gen x and boomers in particular were much more willing to work late. I respect the gen z approach, the corporate world actually rewards very few employees a worthwhile amount for working long hours

• want to come to the office very little/work almost entirely from home

This one im in the middle on. I think in most jobs there's value from in person working2-3 days a week.

• seem to have a much higher proportion of mental health issues at a younger age

Hard to say whats behind this

• are good at boundaries/are not hierarchical: A guy in my team tried to palm something off a junior colleague, when i was her age id have felt i had to do it cos he was more senior. She calmly told him it wasn't her job. I think this is a good attribute.

• value skills & sometimes dismiss the value of experience. Again im 50-50 on this. I line manage a woman in her twenties who thinks her tech skills mean she deserves promotion to a much higher level. But her inexperience means she lacks other attributes/soft skills that to be honest, come with experience mainly. She also doesn't prioritise work well so those whizzy tech skills of hers aren't channelled well.

I love that she is driven/ambitious but a little patience/openness to learn goes a long way.

Ive worked with all ages and i think there are pros and cons to all.

@Arrestedmanevolence that would trigger absence management at my work. Having said that though, I have managed people older who have suffered with their mental health and had frequent time off too. It’s possible that taking mental health time off is just more common in society in general now

It’s also good to hear about how you were taught to be in the workplace. One of the ladies I work with is constantly online at all hours - think 10pm, weekends (we work M-F 9-5!) so sort of makes sense why she does that.

These stereotypes have always existed. I remember people moaning about my generation when we joined the workplace (gen x) and then when we got a bit older it was VERY common, probably because social media had kicked in by then, to moan about millennials. Millennials were lazy, millennials were selfish, etc etc. And now millennials are older and it’s their turn to moan! As with any stereotype, you have to gently challenge each time and just keep proving them wrong.

Gen Z'ers late-teen/early adult experiences have been vastly different to previous generations with the influence of viral social media and covid lockdowns. It's not suprising this has shaped their perspectives. It will be interesting to see if the behavioural trends continue with the next gen.

@CroftonWillow Not sure about behavioural trends, though future generations will innately use social media & Covid will be the first major event they’ve experienced. It will be interesting to see how society develops in 20-30 years or so when today’s youth become the “default” generation and those aspects are no longer seen as unusual.

I do think aspects of life experienced by previous generations are dwindling eg I’ve always known the NHS to have long waiting lists, I’ve never witnessed an effective NHS though I’ve read posts on here that the NHS used to be brilliant. In time, society will lose that comparator to how great things were X decades ago and today’s novelty will just be the standard of normality

The few at my work sit near me. Their conversations are almost entirely about

The patriarchy
Gender identities
Discrimination
ADHD and autism

I want to bang my head through the desk when they're in the office

They're not particularly fun. They eat with their headphones on and watch stuff on their phones. They don't come out for socials (eg grab a drink after work once a month or so). They're not great conversationalists.

@Alarmingghhh I’m like this as I generally keep work and personal separate and am a bit introverted. Though I do have colleagues I go out with and socialise with, it’s just not my default to be like that with everyone.

Nice humble brag OP.

@MyHornCanPierceTheSky that's so bizarre because I can honestly say I have experienced the exact opposite. I'm part clinical part education so have a lot to do with NQNs/students and I have been continually impressed with the new generation. I'm a millennial and definitely somewhere in the middle- I buddy up and do personal care on all my pts Q4hourly however there's no way I'm staying late or in a hurry to pick up extra because its been planned poorly, my family comes first.

It's not generational at all in my unit but if I asked the HCSW who doesn't get involved in personal care they would list me at least 10 names and not a single one would be the NQ GenZ nurses.