Everyone Has an Opinion About Gen Z at Work
Too demanding. Lack grit. They want promotions after 3 months.
We’ve all heard it. Maybe even said it. But here’s the truth: every generation that enters the workforce is met with skepticism. The Greatest Generation called Baby Boomers lazy. Boomers thought Gen X was nihilistic. Gen X thought Millennials were entitled. And now? Millennials are calling Gen Z fragile.
It’s the same story, recycled — but different cast.
Yet Gen Z, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, isn’t just “different.” They’re redefining the DNA of work — and that might be exactly what we need.
The Data Is In: Gen Z Is Shaking Up Work — and It’s Working
Let’s start with the numbers.
By 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the global workforce (WEF). That’s not a fringe group — it’s a growing core. According to a McKinsey study, Gen Z is the most self-aware, digitally native, and socially conscious generation yet. They’re more likely to:
So when leaders say Gen Z “lacks resilience,” they might be misreading something else entirely: Gen Z refuses to normalize burnout.
“Older generations wore burnout as a badge of honor. Gen Z sees it as a system flaw,” says Lindsay Pollak, author of The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multi generational Workplace.
Redefining Professionalism: Challenging the Old Guard
Remember when showing up early, staying late, and not complaining was the gold standard of professionalism? Gen Z is flipping that on its head.
They’re asking:
According to a Deloitte 2023 Global Gen Z Survey, 49% of Gen Zs say their values influence the type of work they’re willing to do — and who they’re willing to work for.
Tech-Native and Entrepreneurial: Their Superpower
While older workers are still adjusting to Slack threads and AI tools, Gen Z is already leveraging them.
A report from LinkedIn shows that Gen Z is 55% more likely to learn new digital tools quickly and 67% more inclined to upskill outside of work via platforms like YouTube, Coursera, and TikTok tutorials.
And when they’re not learning, they’re building.
They’re not waiting to be given a seat at the table — they’re building their own table.
Yes, They Want Fast Growth — Who Doesn’t?
Much of the criticism around Gen Z centers on their desire for rapid advancement.
“They want to be VP by 25.”
But think about it: this is a generation raised on immediacy. Instant answers from Google. Overnight virality on social media. Real-time feedback via likes and comments.
Workplaces move slowly by comparison. That’s not immaturity — it’s a tempo mismatch. Rather than labeling this impatience, savvy leaders are reframing it as ambition.
“When you give Gen Z clear goals and space to grow, they deliver beyond expectations,” says Janet Yuen, VP of People at a global fintech firm. “The trick is clarity, mentorship, and continuous learning.”
Managing Gen Z Is Not About Coddling — It’s About Evolving
Let’s be clear: Gen Z isn’t asking for hand-holding. They’re asking for authentic leadership, psychological safety, and a re-imagining of work-life balance.
They’re forcing workplaces to confront long-standing dysfunctions:
These aren’t flaws Gen Z created — but they are refusing to accept them. And that’s powerful.
It’s Not Gen Z vs Everyone Else
We need to stop pitting generations against one another.Every generation brings its own edge:
And revolutions are messy. But they also move us forward. So the next time you hear someone say, “Gen Z just doesn’t get it,” maybe ask
What if they actually get it better than we ever did?
Polymath on a Mission ∆ Radical Innovation × 2nd-Order Cybernetics🔝Maven in Strategic Visioning ⎓ AI ∞ Deep-Tech Ethics | ThinkTank Lead | 📖 AI-Thinking • Infosomatic Shift • Age of Sapiocracy ⧖ Sapiognosis 🤍💙💛
3wFor centuries, we built civilization on the belief that work is the source of value, purpose, and identity. Work disciplined bodies, synchronized minds, and ordered societies. It produced structures, economies, hierarchies. And in doing so, it concealed something deeper: that its function was never merely to sustain life — but to manage it. To work meant to obey the symbolic architectures that turned energy into currency, potential into predictability, and creativity into containment. But now, something tectonic shifts. https://open.substack.com/pub/leontsvasmansapiognosis/p/the-last-illusion-why-the-collapse