Generation Z is the subject of many negative headlines now, and it’s almost as if they replaced all the bad ones about Millennials but switched them around. The reality is that because we are the emerging consumer market, there are troves of market research and other studies being done on the age group, which is defined as people born from 1997 to 2012. New data is simply being released.
Some of the most damning research to be released is a survey from Resume Builder among managers, which discovered that 74 percent of managers of the over 1,300 polled considered Generation Z “difficult” to work with. Forty-nine percent took it a bridge further, saying that they’re difficult “all or most of the time.”
When looking at the reasons why, they attribute a lack of “effort” or “motivation,” and even go as far as to say that they “‘lack technological skills”:
The reason managers find GenZers to be challenging employees is they feel they lack technological skills (39%), effort (37%), motivation (37%), among other skills and traits.
Anecdotally speaking as a Gen Zer, I’ll flatter us and say that part of the reason we’re difficult to work with is that we do not have tolerance for any nonsense in the workplace, especially when it comes to the idea that work is meant to be our whole lives.
Still, I do think there is something to be said about the lack of effort and motivation. And the best way to actually improve this on a generational level is rather simple: Getting better at the methods of communication that older generations thrive at.
Yes, I mean talking on the phone. I do not mean using the phone to text, email, or send messages. I mean old school, real deal calling.
Some of the first jobs I had involved cold calling, and I genuinely hated it. Was I good at it? No. Would I do a cold-calling job today? Absolutely not, it’s a miserable experience. But to its credit, it helped me become the reporter I am today and stand out amongst my fellow Generation Zers.
I’ll oftentimes hear from sources that it’s hard to talk with younger reporters because they do not know how to work a conversation on the phone, as they may come across as rude or confused. Unfortunately, as my generation tends to get nervous getting on the phone, or finds it flat-out unenjoyable, it’ll take some effort from an individual.
But once a young person knows how to talk on the phone, we become practically unstoppable. Whether it’s a work scenario, personal problem, or customer service woe, there is a ton of power that comes from someone hearing the voice of a coherent and confident young person on the other line. Not only do processes move faster when someone is contacted over the phone, but it also makes older generations respect us more.
Email and texting are the natural, go-to tools for communication now, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. These have become essential tools of the modern workplace, and they serve an important role in increasing efficiency and making sure tasks and details are recorded properly. In fact, something that Gen Zers understand well is keeping a record of important conversations, such as with screenshots, in order to refer back to communication for legal or personal reasons later.
But those who wish to become movers and shakers must understand that there’s real value in proper phone etiquette—it can help set someone apart from the competition. Deep down, we’re a savvy group interested in making a difference, except we need to be willing to apply ourselves beyond our comfort zones in order to succeed.
