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9 Gen-Z Workplace Habits That Need a Rethink (And My Real Take)
Gen-Z is changing the workplace, sometimes for the better, sometimes… not so much. Whether it’s ghosting employers or expecting early promotions, we’ve earned some valid (and not-so-valid) side-eyes. In this article, I explore 9 common Gen-Z habits in corporate spaces sourced with help from ChatGPT and offer my honest take on each one, based on real experience and tough conversations across generations.
The impetus for this came from numerous personal discussions that I’ve had with Millennials, Gen-Xers and Boomers concerning their thoughts on Gen-Z colleagues and their overall perceptions of this generation of workers. While there are many things that the more mature generations generally admire about Gen-Zers, there are those areas where they’ve cited that we need much more experience, refinement and wisdom.
Allow me to go through the top WACK things Gen-Z employees do, courtesy of ChatGPT and give my personal opinions on each point from a perspective of experience and observations.
1. Over-Reliance on Casual Communication
Using overly informal language and emojis in professional emails or chats can blur boundaries and come across as unprofessional.
My Take:
Generally, professional emails and chats should be kept as professional as possible, especially when it comes to communications around key work activities and between colleagues via established corporate communication channels. On the flip side, however, in some industries/cultures, the occasional use of emojis or more informal language in formal channels may not be perceived as inappropriate. Personally, I’ve received emails from colleagues (both in similar and higher positions) that may have included an emoji in circumstances where the emails were only amongst a smaller grouping of persons.
Nevertheless, in cases where there’s a larger number of contacts in the “To” and/or “CC” fields, I would suggest keeping the communication as formal as possible using the appropriate language register. This doesn’t mean that communication has to be monotone and robotic, but it should be appropriate and relevant. One-on-one conversations between coworkers might take a more relaxed tone both orally and in writing, but caution should always be taken to keep conversations respectful, especially over official work communication channels.
2. Ghosting Employers
Disappearing without notice, especially during hiring processes or after starting a job, is not only unprofessional but also damages long-term career prospects.
My Take:
How even !?! This one most certainly was alarming to me.
Rule of Thumb: Your actions speak way louder than your words. If you want to be perceived as loyal, trustworthy and professional, you have to act in a manner representative of that. Going through the hiring process with one firm but choosing to discontinue because a more favourable option popped up?
Communicate this as tactfully and professionally as you can! Ignoring emails and calls from employers you began to court would not be the way to go at all. Not only does it not reflect positively on you, but you also have no idea who’s connected to the person that you’re avoiding. Our reputations tend to precede us in the world of work. Take better care of your reputation and image.
3. Expecting Instant Gratification
Wanting rapid promotions or rewards without putting in the time can cause friction with management.
My Take:
If you’re walking in with the intention that you’re gonna be showered with rewards and benefits upon introduction, you’re sadly mistaken! Before you can be deemed as a valuable asset, you must first put your head down, get to work and let your value be showcased through your work. Don’t expect to be the new rockstar on the block in just 1- 3 months. Chances are you’re going to be under probation during this period anyway. It takes time to build a solid reputation in a new firm and environment, especially as a young professional.
The only cheat code I can offer is to take initiative and try new things. The quickest (relatively speaking) way to prominence in a corporate space is to focus on doing exceptional work, being a team player and taking initiative to showcase complementary talents and skills outside of your job description. In due time, the promotions and rewards that you seek will surface in environments that truly appreciate intrapreneurs and are serious about nurturing and empowering their human capital.
4. Job-Hopping Without Strategy
Changing jobs frequently without a solid career plan might be viewed as instability, reducing trust in your long-term potential.
My Take:
It’s common practice in the world of work today for young professionals to job-hop every so often, usually spending a maximum of 2-4 years in each organisation. Truthfully, nothing is fundamentally wrong with the practice as it can yield greater employment prospects and improved career satisfaction if approached with tact, intent and strategy. Job-hopping just for the sake of doing it without a clear strategy may not be the approach that you want to take at all. Also, let’s normalise the fact that some people may be quite satisfied staying in a job much longer where they are positively challenged, promoted regularly and find immense value and fulfilment in what they do.
Furthermore, there are people whose dream is also not full-time employment in the medium/long term. What may appear to be job-hopping with no sense of direction from your perspective can be very calculated on their part, given their entrepreneurial ambitions and goals. Moral of the story, one size doesn’t fit all, but if your goal isn’t entrepreneurship and you’re looking to job-hop, I would suggest doing so with a clear vision or path in mind that you can articulate.
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5. Neglecting Networking
Failing to build strong professional relationships by ignoring the importance of in-person networking or proper follow-up could limit career growth.
My Take:
I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again, “People get jobs done!” If your goal is to have a great experience in corporate spaces, you need to maintain strong professional relationships through strategic networking. Additionally, don’t underestimate how essential it is to be a solid and unproblematic employee that people genuinely like to work alongside. It doesn’t pay in the long run to be seen as the standoffish, problematic or unenthused one. Show up as your best self daily and present your best self to others. Be a person of your word always, and follow up on the things that you’re committed to.
6. Taking Feedback Personally
Being overly sensitive to constructive criticism and not using it for growth can stunt career development.
My Take:
If there’s one thing you need to have in the corporate world, it’s a backbone. When it comes to progressing in your career as a young professional, you have to be teachable. There’s no way around it! You don’t know everything, and you can’t get to the next level without the help of good Samaritans along the way in the form of your direct supervisors, managers and executives where you work. Don’t see constructive criticism received from your superiors as an attack on your person, especially when given in good faith and respectfully.
It’s simply a tip for improvement in the future that you should at least internalise and apply where appropriate. I’d be more concerned if I didn’t receive any feedback on the job at all! To me, that says way more about how people perceive you and view your career trajectory. Those who want to see you advance make it their business to offer pointers to evoke your next level of career evolution and expansion. They see your efforts and want to support you. Know the difference between a personal attack and developmental feedback.
7. Lack of Patience for Traditional Processes
Pushing for immediate change in well-established systems without understanding them fully may create resistance from older colleagues.
My Take:
As a Gen-Z employee myself, I can completely relate to the frustration I experience when I encounter antiquated processes and approaches on the job that I may not be too fond of. I think we’ve all been there! However, we also have to be conscious of the fact that this is the modus operandi for a slew of persons who were there before us.
One of the most difficult changes to enforce is cultural change, and the best approach may not necessarily be to rapidly dismantle a system that has at least gotten others to an endpoint. To truly transform an organisation, you have to be sensitive to all the factors responsible for its current culture and understand that meaningful change will only occur over time. Trying to crash the system too early without understanding it is usually never the right approach to take. Be patient and willing to co-create change.
8. Misunderstanding Work-Life Balance
Setting rigid boundaries without adapting to the ebb and flow of work demands can make you appear inflexible or disengaged.
My Take:
If you know me professionally, you know that I’m a major advocate for establishing healthy work/life boundaries. I respect the time spent at work and most definitely view my time outside work as sacred and special. I’m not the “work excessive hours”, “get burnt out”, or “work before everything” type of employee at all. While I set strong boundaries that I enforce, I’m also very in tune with the ebb and flow of work demands. Sometimes, there are projects near completion/launch that will require that extra effort to get to break through the floodgates.
Sometimes, there’s gonna be key work activities that are going to require you to extend your hours temporarily, show up on a weekend or perform duties that don’t necessarily fall under your JD. The true skill is knowing when you need to be flexible and agile and when you need to hold fast to your boundaries. It’s neither black nor white. You have to use your intuition and discernment to know when work just might require a larger chunk of your day, especially in cases where you’re allowed to advance yourself professionally. Don’t lose out on great opportunities by being too rigid and generally unaware of your surroundings.
9. Undervaluing Soft Skills
Overemphasising technical abilities while overlooking communication, teamwork, and adaptability can prevent you from excelling in more dynamic work environments.
My Take:
Soft skills are the true secrets to advancement in the corporate space if you intend to keep elevating your career prospects. Technical abilities are crucial, but more often than not, you’d see the employees who have mastered their oral and written communication, are great team players and are generally adaptable, climbing high in the corporate ladder and assuming positions of leadership and influence.
If you work in a dynamic work environment, regardless of the industry, you’d realise that the employees who master the soft skills tend to gain access to greater job prospects and receive opportunities to further boost their personal and professional aspirations. Technical abilities get you through the door and allow you to execute core work functions, but the soft skills are the ones that ensure further development, improve your likability (which is important in the corporate world) and amplify your career trajectory. Showing up to work is more than just getting a job done if you want to excel. The finer skills go a long way in setting you up for success.
Hats off to ChatGPT for compiling these interesting prompts from across the World Wide Web. They truly provided insights that we as Gen-Z employees should be aware of when it comes to our perception and behaviours in the workplace. I hope you enjoyed reading my perspectives on these issues, and I would encourage you to add your own opinions to the conversation as well, even if they are in opposition to what was said. The more we share, the more we learn and grow as a generation of young professionals. The future is ours to build and mould.
