The most common question I get from my clients in leadership these days is, “It seems like there is something going on with generational differences beyond the usual misunderstandings and “kids these days” frustrations that arise in every generation…am I over-reacting here or is this true?”
When I first got variations of this question I was wary about proclaiming that there is something new about the challenges posed by this generation. Afterall, my job addresses how difficult it is for organizations to communicate and manage the challenges that arise when any humans attempt to be productive together. There is certainly nothing new in the need to keep getting better at navigating those challenges. Yet as time went on, it became impossible for me not to acknowledge that something different indeed is in the water. I am not an official data collector, but I talk to a lot of people in a lot of organizations in multiple industries; there’s no doubt people are finding it challenging in new ways to engage, motivate and hold folks accountable in the more junior levels of their companies.
Luckily, Jean Twenge is an official data collector who has been doing extensive research on generational differences, so I turned to her work to help make some sense of what people are experiencing. Twenge has collected data that clearly identifies shifts in the experiences of Gen Z during their developmental years. Starting around 2014 her data shows stark differences in the way teenagers answer questions than they had in previous generations.
Since 1976, Twenge has tracked information about how teens experience and view the world through questions about how they spend their time and how they feel about themselves, the world and their future. Through these questions she identified a profound change around 2014 in activities that require autonomy, decision making and organization of time and money. A few examples are that they drive themselves around less, spend less time without parental presence, try fewer risky activities, and fewer of them have jobs. They spend less in-person time with friends and around six plus hours a day on various technology platforms. As their time with technology increased, their optimism about the world and themselves decreased. Data from 2022 shows they are at an all-time low for believing work will be satisfying. (For a deeper dive on this excellent research I recommend Twenge’s books iGen and her upcoming book Generations.)
The teens that were part of that significant data shift in 2014 are now in the workforce. Of course there are always individuals who don’t represent overall data trends and there remain large variations in the way Gen Z shows up at work. But many of the challenges leaders voice to me are reflected in what is revealed in this data.
Leaders are finding it difficult to motivate many young workers to apply themselves beyond the minimum of what’s expected. They don’t seem to apply feedback wholistically, their work can seem slow to improve and it feels harder to get them to take ownership of things. Gen Z is fiercely protective of their time in ways that are astonishing to older generations who spent their twenties proving how hard they were willing to work to get ahead. Young workers want more freedom, more information about organizational decisions, and faster opportunity for career advancement.
And so how do we meet young people where they are as we try to bridge our different expectations and experiences? One thing I see is that leaders could spend less time talking to each other about these challenges and more time talking to their juniors! I totally appreciate that this topic is endlessly entertaining to analyze with our peers but it’s time to redirect the energy we give to this problem. We, the leaders, the people in charge, need to approach our young workers with less judgement and more curiosity. It can be hard to remember that others are often motivated by and interested in things that are different than what we are motivated by. We need to find out how the individuals on our teams are thinking so that we can help them adapt to our working world in a way that works both for them and us.
When I coach and train junior folks I see how some of the data plays out. Importantly, I see many young folks who are as hungry and driven and willing to work long hours as ever. But I also see the shift. I see the boundaries younger folks want to hold for their personal time. I see them not so much buying into a culture of hierarchy and grind and status. I see them less clear on why some of the demands being put on them are necessary. AND: I see them open to and willing to learn and better understand the requirements of their roles and why certain norms and behaviors are expected of them. I see enormous opportunity for us all to learn from each other if we create the right opportunities and tone for two-way conversations. Let’s look at a few suggestions for doing that in ways that helps us meet Gen Z where they are.
Remember the data on how much less autonomy/independence much of Gen Z has experienced in their teen years. Expect them to need more explicit guidance/explanation and be prepared to give it and/or guide them to resources to get it. Lean into the teaching/mentoring aspect of your conversations and project management.
Gen Z is used to having much more access to information and “why things are so” than most of us had when we were young. More transparency about process, decision making and timelines will be useful in creating better alignment around expectations. In my experience more open, top-down communication is almost always an area for improvement in organizations, so this generation provides a good opportunity to focus on establishing better norms around transparency and information sharing.
This is a practical generation. They care about how their individual contributions impact the work they are doing and their pessimism about the future also fuels concerns about compensation and career trajectory. Consider this when trying to gauge with various individuals what motivates them. Make sure they understand how feedback you are giving them will benefit their overall career paths and possibilities.
Gen Z has been taught to value safety, physical and emotional, and you can help make your encounters and conversations feel safe and supportive. You can help the tone and feel of challenging topics by reminding them how difficult feedback will serve them in their current role and beyond and by asking questions like how can I support you as you work to improve on this and what else do you need from us to be successful with this?
There have always been generational divides that need to be navigated. But around 2014 the broad reach of smartphone access and technology had especially large implications for teens in their developmental years. As we learn more about that impact and the way the changing world is shaping our young people, leaders have the opportunity and responsibility to find ways to bridge divides so we can shape our futures together.