How to Deal with Gen Z at Work? That’s the Real Challenge 🤔

[@mariyamzaidi543]

I agree 😮

[@webdevgaur]

I'm sorry you have to go through this mu friend. However, I also want it to be clear that respect goes two ways. Being employed is great, but it's also not a favour. It is an earned right. Unfortunately us Indians born in the late 70s, 80s, and even early 90s have this servant mentality of "naukri hai yahi badi baat hai" or "boss ne kaha hai to karna to padega". I feel that it's a good thing that this new generation is standing up for their right of being given the work they were hired to do. Any "akad" or laziness/bad attitude will go away once a person is in the workforce and given actual responsibility. But to geind does not mean simply doing what you're told to do without question.

[@yags207]

You're absolutely right; respect is a two-way street, and having a job is an earned right. I appreciate your comment about the older Indian mentality and how it can lead to a servant mindset. It's refreshing to see the new generation standing up for their rights and seeking meaningful work. You're correct that with actual responsibility, people are more likely to take ownership and be more accountable. Having said that standing up for their rights and their perspective absolutely does not mean that only their perspective is correct and then closew themselves to everything else. No one wants anyone to serve as a slave or with a slave mentality and adhering to what has been asked of you does not mean at all that one is being treated as slave or just expected to be "yes sir" person.

[@Taurean7511]

@@webdevgaur I had been as an employee myself for 25 years. Believe me, I have faced ugliest politics being a senior person and partial approach from my company. But my morals and integrity have never worked against the company. Since I myself have faced these office issues, we would definitely not carry forward with the staff, instead we have a very healthy atmosphere wherein all seniors as well as Directors are approachable. But it seems to be taken from granted. Although we do not expect emotional connection from the staff members, atleast company's assets and facilities should not be trampled upon. Some work ethics should be there. Few pre assumption mindset should be avoided.

[@Taurean7511]

We are facing the same issues with Gen Z as an employer. Most of them are only money oriented. They are not even aware of many basic things of their own profile. No respect for other people's time, no tolerance.

[@yags207]

Thanks for sharing your experiences! It can be challenging to navigate the differences in work ethic and values between generations. While I agree addressing issues around respect and tolerance requires open communication and setting clear expectations at times I am so how fail to understand where am I going wrong & as to why am I not able to get through to them. Would love to hear more about your experiences and any strategies you've found helpful in managing a multi-generational workforce!

[@hemunthkumar]

Generational attitudes toward work and life are shaped by the environments in which they grow up. Gen Z’s access to technology and information often fosters a mindset that values efficiency and personal fulfillment, while Millennials, especially in Indian households, faced social and economic pressures that prioritized job security and stability. These differences, however, don’t mean one approach is better than the other. A sense of entitlement is common across all generations during youth, reflecting a natural learning curve as individuals mature. Rather than focusing on generational divides, we should aim to integrate these values-combining Millennials’ resilience with Gen Z’s focus on quality and efficiency-to find a more balanced and sustainable path forward. Honestly, blaming and fighting among generations is not going to help. We need a win win.

[@TheFluentEdge]

Thank you for sharing your insightful perspective! You're absolutely right, each generation brings unique strengths and experiences. We agree that focusing on collaboration and understanding is key to moving forward

[@nadaganesh27]

I have had my experiences with tbe gen z, most are too self centric. They want the company and other employees to be flexible to them, but they won't be. They would skip deadlines due to incompetencies and mistakes but would not show up at work if salary is late by 1 day. Dont follow their job descriptions fully and say they want to revisit their responsibilities when asked to fulfill them. Most dont even do proper paperwork when it comes to their work but record calls with everyone to have a record, have the roles to engineers but work like daily labour in my opinion. And then there are people who are really passionate and want to do real work, learn, discuss constructively, take on challenges, show competency for a better position. Not the whole generation, but a huge percentage is unfit to be in a professional scenario.

[@yags207]

Thank you for sharing your honest experiences working with Gen Z employees. I understand your frustrations, and it's clear that you've had challenges with some team members. However, I appreciate your acknowledgment that not all Gen Z employees fit this mold. It's essential to avoid generalizing an entire generation based on a few experiences. What strategies have you found effective in managing and motivating your Gen Z team members?

[@nadaganesh27]

Showing a carrot helps a lot, but few have to be giving some friendly motivation to make them work. Praising their little achievement sure helps but for others it does the opposite. Candidates who don't get in line have to be fired at some point.

[@anandupadhyaya6809]

It's not just that. If someone is joining the company for a particular job profile. At least provide some opportunity related to it rather than putting them into another project which isn't even related to their career goals.

[@yags207]

You make a fantastic point! It's essential to provide employees with opportunities that align with their job profiles and career goals. When we hire someone for a specific role, they expect to work on projects that utilize their skills and expertise. Having said that, when the job profile they were hired for goes on hold and the company wants to ensure they get redeployed so a different job role so that they are able to continue with that person's employment why does it get viewed as company's high handedness and not as their way to accommodate the employee's employment?

[@rajsmasher5257]

as long as the employee is not being exploited by the company, the employee should be flexible and open to learn new things. But on the contrary if the company thinks like yes I have hired this guy and now I will make him do whatever I want in the name of flexibility then that's not done and the employee has the full right to take a stand. Investment is there from both the employer and the employee, the employee is investing his time and resources for your organisation. if it doesn't align with his goals then it's up to him what to do. Once again, I am not against flexibility in the workplace but I am against exploitation in workspace in the name of flexibility.

[@yags207]

Couldn't agree more! You've perfectly captured the delicate balance between flexibility and exploitation in the workplace. It's essential for companies to recognize that employees are not just resources to be utilized, but individuals with their own goals, aspirations, and limitations. Flexibility is crucial in today's fast-paced work environment, but it should never come at the cost of exploiting or taking advantage of employees. Having said that, if the employer is expected to be accountable to the employee's work aspirations and future, shouldn't the employee reciprocate as well? Why is it when employers expect this, by default their actions are swiftly tagged as a way of they exploiting their employees?

[@yuvrajsinghraj]

People do grind Sir, much more than your generation, I am not sure what exactly was the issue in your case it might be a minor inconvenience for which I understand you are right. But don't make it sound like getting work is privilege, it shouldn't be. There are places where there's no workplace exploitation but they seem to be doing very good for them and their employees. I am not saying what the employee did was right because you didn't share the details. But whatever you think they must be doing isn't right too

[@yags207]

You're right; many people, regardless of generation, work incredibly hard and value their jobs. You do have a point in recognizing that every situation is unique and that there are indeed workplaces that prioritize employee well-being and succeed without exploitation. Here's some food for thought - employers expecting flexibility from their employees to work on the available projects is perceived as borderline exploitation or even exploitation. Then when the employees only want to work on projects which only sit in their comfort zone and refuse those that don't, shouldn't that be viewed as exploitation of the employer?

[@yuvrajsinghraj]

​@@yags207It is indeed exploitation of the employer but in this particular condition it seems like someone is being assigned some job which is probably not the part of their role. There are jobs which make their employees do some stuff irrelevant to their profile, which are of no use to them in future, sometimes new employees are not paid enough to deal with extra projects. Old people are targetting the new generation like they don't work.

[@yags207]

​@@yuvrajsinghrajJob role clarity and fair compensation are essential for a healthy work environment. It's unfair to expect employees to take on unrelated tasks without proper training, support, or compensation. Having said when the employer has invested time & effort in explaining the whys and whats, how is it really unfair to the employee or irrelevant? I also appreciate your comment about older generations unfairly targeting younger ones. However, while you expect the older generation to be accommodating and understanding about the younger generation's perspectives, is the younger generation really reciprocating?

[@yuvrajsinghraj]

​@@yags207I doubt if younger generation is reciprocating but atleast they don't generalize the cons of working with older generation. I have seen several videos where people say GenZ don't want to work, they have XYZ demands. They have XYZ demands because they know people are getting better somewhere else. Also I'm not sure about older times but I have heard people used to stay at one company so people had to work extra for them, but nowadays everyone targets either high paying or better WLB, so they have no incentive of remaining at a firm which doesn't provide either. I'll give you one extreme example, if you were an employee at Jane Street you will work hard regardless of your generation, because they have incentive to work hard and obviously they hire super intelligent people and super high pay.

[@yuvrajsinghraj]

All I'm saying is this is not the issue of generations, exact details are required before you generalise something for a whole generation. They can be more selective in hiring people there's always better, but they will need to empty their pockets more. I feel sometimes experienced people feel their way is the best, it happens even where I work, but every time I come up with a better solution for the solution which my senior say won't be possible, only way to prove him wrong is to show results.

[@vipulvyas4033]

Coming from the same generation you talked about sir, I do believe that it is important to take stand for yourself but we also need to understand where we need take that stand. Talking about the rigidity, than it comes without saying that art piece can be made only after multiple hardships and strokes on it, not just by swift touches. Hope it make sense 😅

[@yags207]

You make a great point! It's not about being stubborn, it's about knowing when to stand your ground. Just like creating art, it takes time, effort, and maybe a few revisions along the way. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

[@anjalim8173]

Well your generation has gone now it's Gen Z's turn now you can not impose your ways of being on the next one every generation has their own ideologies and ways of being

[@yags207]

Well, every generation brings it's own perspective and way of looking at the world. That comes with experience. While I agree in the coming Gen Z will start to become a part of mainstream society and workplaces, the experience that the our generation brings is and will be hard to replace

[@bmcfsu_]

Post-covid, people have realised that grind is not worth it. Life is short, gen-Z wants to have a nice time, not a long time.

[@yags207]

I love that phrase - 'nice time, not a long time'! You're spot on about the shift in priorities post-COVID. Many people, especially Gen Z, are reevaluating what matters most to them.

[@mzaid007]

I agree. I've had several experiences with individuals from Gen Z seeking help with what I would consider relatively simple problems. After patiently explaining the solution, I often hear responses like, 'This is too difficult for me,' or 'I can't do this.' It’s important to recognize that life can be challenging and that personal growth often requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone to face obstacles and learn

[@yags207]

Your experiences resonate with many others who've interacted with Gen Z. It's essential to strike a balance between providing support and encouraging independence. You're right; personal growth often requires embracing challenges and stepping out of our comfort zones. By doing so, we build resilience, develop problem-solving skills, and gain confidence.

[@shreyamishra2868]

Some people forget that someone trusted them for a reason as they find some potential but they don't value it and do less with zero work ethics which not only makes a mockery of the trust placed in them but they also lose their own value.😢

[@yags207]

You're absolutely right. It's unfortunate when people take opportunities for granted. When someone trusts you and sees potential in you, it's a gift. It's important to honor that trust with hard work and dedication. Not only does it benefit the person who believed in you, but it also helps you grow and achieve your own goals.

[@wolfheart5408]

Yeah, say all this when you actually pay how much to owe us. You're making tens of lakhs from our work, and giving back thousands. Your generation took it without problems, we don't want to

[@TheFluentEdge]

The pay gap is a real issue that needs to be addressed. It's not about 'your generation' vs. 'our generation,' but about creating a fair and equitable work environment where efforts, commitment & loyalty are rewarded. Can you tell us more about what you think would be a fair solution?

[@generalthoughts123]

2000s folks are not mean and crook

[@TheFluentEdge]

We agree with that observation and have not addressed them like that. Having said the speaker has expressed his challenges with dealing with the young professionals.