Managers and business leaders are finding it difficult to work with Generation Z.
A number of surveys and reports point out this trend, including an April 2023 survey of 1,000 participants from ResumeBuilder, which said that 74% of managers and business leaders found that Gen Z is more difficult to work with than other generations. In fact, 20% of respondents said they’d fired a Gen Z employee within a week of the start date — 27% had axed the new Gen Z employee within a month.
Why don’t bosses like new college grads? Some bosses say that the group is unprepared for the workforce and can’t hack the workload. Others find that Gen Zers lack motivation and effort. Some bosses say that once on the job, Gen Z employees seem unprofessional.
Whether these insights are true across the board, can Gen Z workers learn anything from these complaints? A more informal poll of managers, executives and HR leaders suggests that the perceptions may be shared on a wider scale — but that new grads can take the steps below to improve their reputation.
[READ: How New Grads Can Find a Job in the Age of AI]
Be More Collaborative
There are a few missteps that Gen Z grads often take, says Rob Gold, vice president of marketing communications at the cloud communications company Intermedia. “I’ve employed and coached many early-career professionals, and I’ve discovered something surprising: The things that really hold Gen Z graduates back aren’t what they think,” Gold said in an email.
“Everyone talks about taking initiative, but I’ve seen new workers try to show themselves by fixing problems on their own, which slows them down,” Gold said. “The most effective staff members not only work hard, but also smartly, leveraging collective knowledge.”
Gold shared that one of his employees, a new graduate, unsuccessfully attempted to redesign a reporting process on his own. “After three weeks, they were stuck,” he said. “A five-minute talk with a senior team member could have saved them dozens of hours.”
Gold also noted that people remember who helps them, so Gen Zers should keep this in mind when working with their managers and teams. “I’ve noticed that being helpful accounts for 80% of your workplace reputation,” Gold said. “Employees who naturally share knowledge, connect colleagues or simplify others’ work are noticed quickly. The key to job security is to be the person people want to keep around.”
Don’t Just Go for Big Wins
According to Gold, small, visible contributions — the kind that reflect daily effort, diligence and smart work habits — matter more than larger wins.
“Many young professionals believe they need to make a significant difference quickly,” Gold said. “In truth, continuous, dependable contributions create confidence faster than a single big success.”
Gold shared that the staff members who get promoted fastest are the ones who deliver more incremental wins that are visible to their managers and teams week after week, like enhancing a process by 10% or sending insights before leadership asks.
[READ: 5 Workplace Trends That Employers Love and Workers Hate]
Prioritize Substance Over Speed
Aaron Whittaker, vice president of demand generation and marketing at Thrive Digital Marketing Agency based in Arlington, Texas, has terminated a few Gen Z employees for what he described as “inefficiency and unproductivity in their work.”
“I think many bosses have difficulty working with Gen Z grads because they tend to prioritize speed over substance, often taking shortcuts that sacrifice quality,” Whittaker, who oversees teams that work on content, marketing, web development and lead generation, said in an email. “In a remote work environment, where results are the only way to determine whether someone is being productive or not, this becomes a particularly pressing problem.”?
For example, Whittaker explained that a content writer could take shortcuts on their duties, skimming past reading assignments and producing substandard, superficial material as a result. “Employers aren’t asking for perfection, but they expect diligence, critical thinking, and a willingness to refine and improve,” he said. “Young professionals who do not deliver on these expectations give the impression of a lack of commitment, resulting in a loss of trust.”
To avoid these mistakes, Whittaker suggests that young workers change their mindset from merely getting an assignment done to getting it done well, which means conducting thorough research, refining their work and asking for feedback — particularly if they work remotely. “When time for face-to-face meetings is limited, communication and proactiveness become increasingly essential. So showing hard work, demonstrating continuous learning and keeping managers in the loop can make a world of difference,” Whittaker said.
[READ: How to Get Promoted at Work]
Level Up Your Professional Communication
As the founder of the e-commerce brand Colorful Socks, Amra Beganovich has hired Gen Z employees and feels they bring fresh ideas and a strong grasp of digital trends. At the same time, she has seen some struggle with adapting to workplace expectations beyond technical skills, particularly when it comes to effectively communicating at work.
“One challenge I’ve noticed with Gen Z is how different communication styles can create roadblocks,” Beganovich said. “Many are great at texting and quick digital exchanges but struggle with professional communication. For them, writing clear emails, speaking up in meetings and handling client calls with confidence can feel intimidating.”
Beganovich said she hired a talented Gen Z social media manager who was hesitant to speak in meetings. “She was sharp and full of ideas but always defaulted to Slack messages instead of engaging in discussions,” Beganovich said. “At first, I didn’t think much of it, but over time, it led to small misunderstandings. Messages lacked tone, ideas got misinterpreted and important conversations weren’t happening.”
Beganovich began coaching this manager on professional communication without forcing the issue, gradually making other communication methods feel more approachable by working on structuring emails, practicing phrasing for client calls and easing into speaking up in team discussions. Slowly, the Gen Zer gained confidence, and a year later was leading conversations.
“That experience stuck with me because it showed that people just need a little encouragement to find their voice,” Beganovich said.
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Bosses Are Firing Gen Z Grads: What Young Workers Are Doing Wrong and How to Avoid It originally appeared on usnews.com
