A recent study indicates that 75 percent of business leaders and managers consider Generation Z, individuals born from 1997 onwards, to be more challenging to work with than other generations.
The survey, conducted by ResumeBuilder, found that nearly half of the respondents (49 percent) reported difficulties working with Gen Z employees all or most of the time.
Many managers concur that Gen Z workers often lack essential skills, such as communication, effort, motivation, and, surprisingly, even technological proficiency.
The severity of these issues is reflected in the fact that 20 percent of managers and business leaders surveyed admitted to terminating a Gen Z employee within a week of their start date, with this figure rising to 27 percent after just a month.
According to the April survey, one of the primary reasons for Gen Z employees losing their jobs is their tendency to be "too easily offended."
Akpan Ukeme, Head of HR at SGK Global Shipping Services, shared his experiences working with Gen Z employees, describing the process as "exhausting."
Ukeme told ResumeBuilder, "In our organization, the Gen Zs I have interacted with can be exhausting because they lack discipline, and they like to challenge you."
He further elaborated, "I've butted heads more than once with a Gen Z employee, because since our company is online-based, they think they know everything about the digital world and can teach me. They think they're better than you, smarter than you, more capable than you, and they will tell you to your face."
The survey revealed that the Baby Boomers were the only other generation coming close to Gen Z's unpopularity. Among the respondents who found Gen Z the most challenging generation, 34% preferred working with Millennials, 30% with Gen X, and 4% with Baby Boomers.
A chief career advisor, Stacie Haller, suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work could contribute to Gen Z's struggles adjusting to the workplace.
Haller said, "As a result of COVID-19 and remote education, it's possible that GenZers lack the foundation to be more successful than older generations in entry-level positions." She highlighted the potential impact of remote work and education on communication skills and independent work habits.
Haller advised hiring managers to be aware of these factors when interviewing Gen Z candidates for positions, as this generation may require additional training in professional skills.
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