Reframing Gen Z: From Reaction to Recognition

PART 1 – Disconnected and Disillusioned: Why Gen Z aren’t Engaged at/in Work

Each wave of new labor market entrants has their issues as they adjust to a new equilibrium of ‘working life’ after years of student life. However, Generation Z’s lives and prospects were extraordinarily disrupted because of the COVID crisis—especially 18–25-year-old workers or ‘Gen Z 2.0’ who were disproportionately impacted during their formative professional years.

Ok, but they’ll get over it soon, right?

No, not without your active help. Without intentional intervention the situation is likely to get worse, not better. 

Why should you care?

Gen Zers are your future managers and leaders.

Demoralizing Disruption

Five years ago THIS WEEK, Gen Z 2.0 were disconnected from their co-workers, work and development opportunities. They were:

Isolated during critical high school and college socializing years when professional identities begin to form.

Unprepared for work environments, lacking essential interpersonal skills normally developed through in-person interactions.

Introduced to uncertainty as their first experience of professional life, creating lasting anxiety about workplace stability.

First to be terminated when the pandemic hit in 2020, often from their very first jobs.

Disproportionately unemployed at 3× the rate of older workers when the crisis began.

Virtually onboarded before managers developed effective remote processes.

Judged as disloyal while not being offered stability or clear career paths.

Deprived of training as managers scrambled to maintain operations in crisis conditions.

Never welcomed into stable, supportive office environments that foster belonging.

Labeled job-hoppers when their attempts at internal advancement were unsuccessful.

Criticized for digital reliance, despite online social skills being their only development option for over two years.

Gen Zers' COVID Unemployment

Spring 2020, the US jobless rate for 16–24-year-olds spiked to 24.4%, nearly triple the pre-pandemic rate.

In Australia, youth workers absorbed 55% of lockdown job losses despite representing only 14% of the workforce.

Only 40% of UK apprenticeships continued during the first lockdown, severing crucial early-career development paths.

Gen Z's Reactions & Ongoing Challenges

The pandemic's educational impact was severe: 65% of young people globally reported learning significantly less during the crisis; 46% of Gen Z employees say the pandemic made pursuing educational or career goals substantially more difficult. 

Underemployment for new graduates leads to diminished future potential: 79% of graduates who start in college-level jobs remain in college-level occupations; 73% of graduates who begin their careers underemployed remain so 10 years after college; A recent graduate employed in a college-level job earns approximately 88% more than someone with only a high school diploma; An underemployed graduate earns just 25% more than someone without college education.

Evidence already indicates Gen Z’s prospects have been undermined: >30% of 2023 UK graduates (aged 23-30) were in medium or low-skilled employment or unemployed in 2024; 52% of US graduates in 2024 were underemployed one year after graduating.

Understanding vs. Judging

The disconnection Gen Zs’ experienced wasn't a choice but a consequence of circumstances beyond their control. Too many now feel undermined and overwhelmed, worried and unwelcomed. Their need for intentional support cannot be avoided or minimized.

We need to rebuild connections through intentional reengagement strategies which start with thoughtful understanding of Generation Z’s situations. When we reframe our perspectives incorporating additional data, we can more easily put aside reactions based only on our own lived experiences and withhold quick judgments which may be based on incomplete information.

We can view perceived lack of motivation differently. We can help young hires with upskilling, more career advancement support, assist them in improving teamwork, and engage with different types of feedback.

Reframed Approaches

Provide a dual perspective approach – offer guidance for leaders and Gen Zers that recognizes reengagement as a collaborative process with different viewpoints.

Nurture relationship strategies that go beyond superficial engagement tactics to acknowledge and address deeper disconnection issues.

Transform learning models with specific approaches that tackle both pandemic-related skill gaps and the need for integrated ongoing development experiences.

Add navigation practices for Gen Zs empowering them with frameworks to understand and adapt to workplace cultures while maintaining their authenticity.

Emphasize resilience-building as an essential component of workplace (re)integration, recognizing the emotional aspects of the disconnection experience. 

Unconvinced? Curious? Try asking Gen Z team members about their COVID19 experiences and what they feel the effects have been.

Sign up if you haven't already subscribed so you don’t miss out on the rest of this 3-part series:

Part 2: Unpacks why Gen Zers cannot thrive in ‘traditional’ work environments.

Part 3: Gets practical about leading and developing your youngest employees.