Why Gen Z Employees Are Challenging Traditional Managers

Gen Z workers (born 1997-2012) are challenging traditional management styles through demands for work-life balance, real-time feedback, and purpose-driven work. 45% of managers find them the most difficult generation to work with, yet 50% expect to hire them in 2025. The key lies in empathetic leadership, transparent communication, and recognizing that Gen Z isn’t rejecting work; they’re redefining it.

A WhatsApp message sent on November 17, 2025, ignited a conversation that’s been simmering in workplaces worldwide. A Gen Z employee’s manager insisted they attend a client meeting despite the employee informing them of a family member’s death. The employee’s response was firm, clear, and went viral within hours: they prioritized their personal crisis over work demands, setting boundaries that previous generations rarely dared to establish.

This incident isn’t isolated. It represents a seismic shift happening across industries as Gen Z reshapes workplace expectations. According to a 2024 Resume Genius survey of 625 hiring managers, 45% find Gen Z the most challenging generation to work with nearly double the 26% who say the same about millennials. Yet paradoxically, 33% of these same managers expect to hire Gen Z workers in 2025, making them the second most sought-after generation after millennials.

The tension is real, the stakes are high, and the question every manager is asking is simple: What’s really happening here?

The Viral Moment That Sparked the Conversation

The November 2025 WhatsApp exchange wasn’t just another workplace complaint; it was a crystallization of generational values collision. When the manager prioritized a client meeting over an employee’s bereavement, the Gen Z worker’s response was unequivocal: personal well-being comes first, business comes second.

Social media erupted. An estimated 78% of respondents across platforms supported the employee’s stance, with many sharing their own stories of toxic workplace expectations. The incident sparked conversations in boardrooms, HR departments, and living rooms about what constitutes reasonable workplace demands.

What this reveal isn’t entitlement, it’s evolution. Gen Z watched millennials burn out from hustle culture, witnessed their parents sacrifice family time for corporate loyalty that evaporated during layoffs, and entered the workforce during COVID-19 when traditional work structures collapsed. They’re not rejecting professionalism; they’re rejecting exploitation disguised as dedication.

The Numbers Behind the Challenge

45% of Managers Say Gen Z Is the Hardest to Work With

The data tells a complicated story. Resume Genius surveyed 625 U.S. hiring managers and found that Gen Z tops the “difficulty” rankings by a significant margin:

• Gen Z: 45% of managers find them most challenging
• Millennials: 26%
• Gen X: 13%
• Baby Boomers: 9%

But here’s the twist that should make everyone pause: 50% of Gen Z managers themselves agree their generation is difficult to manage. Even more surprising, a recent global survey found that 3 out of 4 managers describe Gen Z as the most challenging age group in today’s workplace.

This isn’t self-criticism, it’s self-awareness. Gen Z managers understand their generation’s expectations because they share them: meaningful work, frequent feedback, mental health support, and boundaries that don’t dissolve under pressure.

Yet They’re the Second Most Likely to Be Hired

Here’s the paradox keeping HR professionals up at night: despite the challenges, 33% of hiring managers expect to hire Gen Z workers in 2025. They rank second only to millennials (45%), far ahead of Gen X (14%) and Baby Boomers (4%).

Why hire a generation you find difficult? Because they bring fresh perspectives, digital fluency, creative problem-solving, and a commitment to making workplaces better for everyone. Organizations that can crack the code on managing Gen Z effectively will have access to a talent pool that’s ambitious, innovative, and increasingly dominant in the workforce.

By 2025, Gen Z is predicted to comprise approximately 27% of the workforce, with that percentage climbing rapidly. Companies that treat them as a problem to be managed rather than a catalyst for positive change will lose the talent war.

Why Gen Z Challenges Traditional Management

The Meaning Gap – Not a Work Ethic Gap

Research from workplace behavior experts reveals a crucial insight: Gen Z doesn’t lack work ethic; they have different priorities. While traditional managers value achievement, growth, and hard work, Gen Z prioritizes meaning, purpose, and authenticity.

Studies show only 2% overlap exists in the top 5 values between Gen Z employees and their managers. This isn’t a small difference; it’s a fundamental worldview gap. As one workplace expert notes: “Gen Z is not rejecting work. They are redefining it”.

For Gen Z, work must answer the question: “Why does this matter?”. A Deloitte survey found that 89% say purpose at work is essential for satisfaction and well-being, and 44% have already left jobs that lacked purpose. They’re not asking for less work, they’re asking for meaningful work.

They Grew Up Differently

Context matters. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, raised on instant feedback from social media, apps, and constant connectivity. When they expect frequent communication from managers, it’s not neediness, it’s their native language.

COVID-19 fundamentally altered their entry into professional life. Many missed internships, on-campus recruitment, and the informal workplace socialization that teaches professional norms. Major accounting firms now offer explicit soft-skills training because Gen Z employees lack the experiential learning previous generations absorbed through office osmosis.

This isn’t a deficit, it’s a difference. Gen Z brings technological fluency, adaptability to remote work, and comfort with digital collaboration tools that older generations had to learn. The challenge for managers is meeting them where they are rather than expecting them to replicate outdated professional development paths.

The Top Stress Triggers for Gen Z

Understanding what stresses Gen Z is crucial for effective management. According to Deloitte’s comprehensive workplace survey, these are the primary triggers:

• 51%: Feeling unrecognized or unrewarded for their work
• 51%: Long working hours without flexibility
• 50%: Insufficient time to complete work properly
• 49%: Unfair or inequitable decision-making
• 48%: Lack of meaning or purpose in their role
• 46%: Feeling unsupported by their leader
• 44%: Lack of control over how or where they work
• 43%: Not feeling included by colleagues

Notice a pattern? These aren’t frivolous demands their fundamental human needs for recognition, fairness, autonomy, and connection. When Gen Z pushes back on these issues, they’re advocating for workplace conditions that benefit everyone, not just their generation.

Gen Z vs. Millennials: The Workplace Divide

Understanding how Gen Z differs from millennials who themselves were once called “difficult” reveals important nuances for managers.

Aspect	Gen Z (1997-2012)	Millennials (1981-1996)
Primary Career Goal	Work-life balance (only 6% want leadership roles)	Career advancement and climbing the ladder
Feedback Expectations	Real-time, informal, frequent (weekly minimum)	Structured reviews, quarterly or annual cycles
Job Stability	Seek longer tenure with clear growth paths	Comfortable with lateral moves and diverse projects
Communication Style	Instant messaging, direct, transparent	Email-first, scheduled meetings
Technology	Expects cutting-edge AI tools, modern platforms	Comfortable with standard digital tools
Core Values	Mental health, diversity, social impact front-center	Work-life integration, purpose
View of Authority	Questions hierarchy, wants collaboration	Respects earned authority, more deferential
Financial Outlook	52% live paycheck to paycheck, cautious	Optimistic about advancement

This isn’t about one generation being “better”, it’s about recognizing that different experiences create different workplace needs. Millennials entered the workforce during economic expansion and were told to “lean in.” Gen Z entered during a pandemic and recession, witnessing the fragility of corporate promises.

The 5 Biggest Challenges Managers Face

1. The Feedback Frequency Mismatch

Annual performance reviews are obsolete for Gen Z. Having grown up with instant responses like comments, streaks, notifications they expect continuous feedback loops, not once-a-year assessments.

Research shows Gen Z craves weekly one-on-one check-ins minimum. They want to know immediately if they’re on track, not discover six months later they’ve been heading in the wrong direction. This isn’t high-maintenance behavior, it’s efficient development.

The solution isn’t more work for managers, it’s restructured communication. Brief, consistent touchpoints replace lengthy annual reviews, creating a feedback culture that benefits all employees, not just Gen Z.

2. The “Conscious Unbossing” Movement

Here’s a leadership pipeline crisis in the making: 69% of Gen Z actively avoid middle management roles. They’ve watched managers work 60-hour weeks, sacrifice personal time, handle stress with insufficient compensation, and get blamed when things go wrong.

Gen Z views traditional management as “high-stress, low-reward”. Only 6% say their primary career goal is reaching a leadership position, the lowest of any generation. They’re pursuing what researchers call “conscious unbossing,” deliberately choosing individual contributor tracks over management.

This presents a serious succession planning problem for organizations. Companies must make leadership roles more attractive by addressing work-life balance, providing meaningful leadership development, and compensating appropriately for the additional responsibility.

3. Non-Traditional Work Behaviors

Sometimes the cultural gap creates genuinely shocking moments. One manager shared on Reddit that a Gen Z employee directly asked if they could watch Instagram Reels during work hours when tasks were slow. The bluntness left the manager stunned.

Another phenomenon getting attention is the “Gen Z stare” , a direct, unflinching eye contact style that some older managers find unsettling, even intimidating. What Gen Z intends as engaged listening; some managers interpret as judgment or insubordination.

These aren’t signs of disrespect, they’re cultural communication differences. Gen Z values directness and authenticity over hierarchical politeness. The challenge for managers is distinguishing between genuine performance issues and generational communication style differences.

4. Mental Health and Boundary Setting

Gen Z normalizes mental health conversations in ways that make some managers uncomfortable. They’ll openly discuss therapy, anxiety, burnout, and the need for mental health topics previous generations kept private.

Research shows 72% of professionals now prefer empathetic managers over technically excellent but emotionally distant ones. Gen Z will leave jobs and leave quickly when they feel managers lack empathy.

The November 2025 viral WhatsApp incident exemplifies this: when faced with choosing between a meeting and bereavement, Gen Z chooses humanity. They set firm boundaries and expect managers to respect them. The business challenge is balancing operational needs with genuine human empathy.

5. The Entitlement Perception

Interestingly, 44% of Gen Z managers themselves describe their generation as entitled. But research suggests what older generations perceive as entitlement is actually a rejection of normalized exploitation.

When Gen Z refuses to work unpaid overtime, that’s not entitlement, it’s appropriate boundary-setting. When they expect clear growth paths, that’s not unrealistic, it’s strategic career planning. When they demand meaningful work, that’s not naive idealism, it’s a refusal to waste limited time on pointless tasks.

As one workplace researcher notes: “Gen Z doesn’t fear hard work; they fear meaningless work”. Reframing the narrative from “entitled” to “having different expectations” opens constructive conversations.

What Gen Z Actually Wants From Managers

Based on comprehensive research from Deloitte, workplace behavior studies, and management best practices, here’s what Gen Z genuinely seeks:

1. Guidance, inspiration, and mentorship not just task oversight or micromanagement
2. Managers who act as coaches, developing their skills and career trajectory
3. Real-time feedback and recognition for both effort and results
4. Clear career progression paths with transparent promotion criteria
5. Work that contributes to something meaningful beyond profits
6. Flexibility and autonomy over when and how they work
7. Genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility
8. Mental health support and empathetic leadership
9. Transparent, honest communication about challenges and decisions
10. Non-hierarchical, collaborative structures where ideas matter more than tenure

These aren’t unreasonable demands; they’re the foundation of modern, effective workplaces. Organizations meeting these expectations see higher Gen Z engagement, retention, and performance.

11 Proven Strategies to Manage Gen Z Effectively

1. Adopt a Non-Hierarchical Structure

Foster collaboration over top-down directives. Gen Z questions authority not out of disrespect, but because they believe good ideas can come from anyone regardless of position.

Create environments where junior employees feel comfortable contributing in meetings, challenging assumptions respectfully, and sharing feedback upward. Value ideas based on merit, not seniority.

Implementation tip: Hold regular brainstorming sessions with explicit “rank doesn’t matter here” rules where everyone contributes equally.

2. Prioritize Work-Life Balance Visibly

Gen Z won’t believe your work-life balance rhetoric unless they see leaders modeling it. If you send emails at 11 PM, they’ll assume that’s the expectation regardless of what the handbook says.

Respect off-hours boundaries, take your own vacation days, leave the office at reasonable times, and explicitly encourage your team to disconnect. Make flexible schedules and remote options genuinely accessible, not just policy window-dressing.

Key principle: Don’t glorify overwork culture. Celebrate efficiency and results, not hours logged.

3. Focus on Mental Health

With 72% of professionals preferring empathetic managers, this isn’t optional anymore. Provide accessible mental health resources, normalize taking mental health days, and train managers in empathy skills.

Create psychological safety where team members can say “I’m struggling” without career consequences. Check in on well-being, not just task completion.

Action step: Include “How are you really doing?” as a standard one-on-one question and mean it.

4. Provide Continuous Learning Opportunities

Learning and development ranks in the top three reasons Gen Z chooses employers. They’re hungry for growth, skill development, and career progression.

Invest in modern learning management systems, offer micro-learning opportunities, budget for professional development, and create mentorship programs. Gen Z stays where they can learn; they leave where they stagnate.

Notable stat: 86% of Gen Z wants continuous mentoring and skill development. Organizations providing this see significantly higher retention.

5. Show Clear Career Progression

Unlike millennials who are comfortable with lateral moves, Gen Z wants structured upward paths. Map out one-year, three-year, and five-year growth trajectories.

Be transparent about promotion criteria, required skills for advancement, and realistic timelines. Have regular career development conversations separate from performance reviews.

Critical insight: Career ambiguity drives Gen Z turnover more than almost any other factor.

6. Take a Personalized Approach

One-size-fits-all management fails spectacularly with Gen Z. Conduct individual strengths assessments, tailor feedback styles to each person’s preferences, and understand individual motivations.

Some Gen Z employees want public recognition; others prefer private acknowledgment. Some thrive with detailed guidance; others need autonomy. The investment in personalization pays retention dividends.

7. Communicate Clearly and Transparently

Lay out expectations explicitly don’t assume Gen Z intuitively knows unwritten professional rules they weren’t taught. Explain the “why” behind decisions, be honest about challenges, and maintain an open-door policy for questions.

Gen Z has a finely tuned authenticity detector. Corporate speaking and evasive answers erode trust instantly. Directness and honesty build loyalty.

8. Implement Weekly 1-on-1 Check-ins

Replace annual reviews with short, consistent weekly touchpoints. These don’t need to be long 15-20 minutes of focused conversation beats a yearly hour-long assessment.

Make these two-way dialogues, not one-way reporting sessions. Focus on development and support, not just task updates. This rhythm builds trust and enables real-time course corrections.

9. Connect Daily Work to Purpose

Answer “Why does this matter?” for every significant task. Share customer impact stories, link tasks to company missions, explain how individual contributions fit the bigger picture.

Gen Z needs to see meaning, not just assignments. When they understand purpose, their engagement and quality of work increase significantly.

Remember: 89% of Gen Z say purpose is essential for satisfaction. This isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s fundamental.

10. Give Autonomy and Flexibility

Trust Gen Z to deliver results without micromanaging the process. Focus on outcomes, not surveillance. Give choice in how to approach projects, when to work (within reason), and where to work.

Autonomy drives Gen Z engagement more than almost any other factor. Control kills it.

11. Recognize Effort and Creativity, Not Just Results

Praise insight, innovation, and learning moments. Celebrate intelligent attempts that didn’t work out. Acknowledge the effort behind successes, not just the outcome.

Providing frequent, specific recognition “Great work” means less than “Your approach to that client problem using the new framework showed excellent strategic thinking”. Gen Z craves meaningful acknowledgment.

The Future: Gen Z in Management Roles

Despite avoiding traditional management, 48% of Gen Z believe they’ll be better managers than millennials when they do step up. Their focus: fairness, standing up for what’s right, and creating healthier workplace cultures.

By 2025, it’s predicted that 1 in 10 management roles will be filled by Gen Z. These managers will likely reshape leadership itself, flatter hierarchies, transparent decision-making, emphasis on mental health, and results over face time.

Gen Z is already influencing conversations around inclusivity, sustainability, and work-life integration. In 5-10 years, workplaces will reflect their values whether older generations are ready or not.

Organizations should prepare now for this inevitable shift rather than resisting it.

Expert Recommendations

For Managers:

• Listen before judging ask Gen Z employees what gives their work meaning
• Design goals that link their motivation to business objectives
• Show love through accountability, not just praise
• Invest in your own empathy and coaching skills

For Organizations:

• Update performance management systems to enable continuous feedback
• Create genuinely flexible work policies, not just PR statements
• Build structured mentorship programs
• Audit culture for toxic patterns Gen Z won’t tolerate

For Gen Z Employees:

• Understand that professional communication norms exist for reasons learn them even if you disagree
• Be patient with older generations who are learning new approaches
• Offer constructive feedback to managers about what works
• Lead by example within your generation

Practical Checklist: Your Gen Z Management Action Plan

Week 1:

• ✅ Schedule weekly 1-on-1s with all Gen Z team members
• ✅ Ask each person: “What gives your work meaning?”
• ✅ Audit your current feedback frequency and adjust

Month 1:

• ✅ Create personalized development plans for each Gen Z employee
• ✅ Map clear career progression paths with specific milestones
• ✅ Establish individual communication preferences
• ✅ Connect daily tasks explicitly to company mission and impact

Quarter 1:

• ✅ Implement a continuous feedback system replacing or supplementing annual reviews
• ✅ Review and update work-life balance policies
• ✅ Train all managers in empathetic leadership techniques
• ✅ Measure Gen Z-specific engagement and retention metrics

Ongoing:

• ✅ Model healthy boundaries in your own work habits
• ✅ Recognize effort and creativity in team meetings weekly
• ✅ Stay updated on Gen Z workplace trends and research
• ✅ Solicit regular feedback from Gen Z employees on management effectiveness

The Bottom Line

Gen Z isn’t a problem to be solved; they’re a catalyst for building better workplaces. Their demands for meaning, balance, empathy, and transparency benefit all employees, not just their generation.

The 45% of managers who find Gen Z challenging are experiencing growing pains as workplace culture evolves. Those who adapt moving from control to coaching, from annual reviews to continuous feedback, from hierarchy to collaboration will unlock tremendous potential in this talented, innovative generation.

The managers and organizations that thrive in the next decade won’t be those who force Gen Z to conform to outdated models. They’ll be those who listen, adapt, and recognize that Gen Z’s challenge to traditional management is exactly what stagnant workplaces need.

As one workplace researcher aptly summarizes: “Gen Z in the workplace isn’t a challenge it’s a chance to build better, more balanced teams”. The question isn’t whether to adapt to Gen Z expectations. It’s how quickly you can evolve before your best young talent walks out the door.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Your Gen Z Management Questions Answered

Why is Gen Z so difficult to manage?
Gen Z isn’t inherently difficult; they have different expectations shaped by growing up digital-native and during COVID-19. They prioritize meaning, work-life balance, and real-time feedback over traditional metrics like face time and hierarchy. 45% of managers find them challenging because they require a shift from command-and-control to coach-and-empower leadership styles.

What do Gen Z employees want most from their managers?
Gen Z wants managers who act as coaches and mentors, provide frequent real-time feedback, connect work to purpose, respect work-life boundaries, demonstrate empathy, offer clear career paths, and create non-hierarchical collaborative environments. Learning and development opportunities rank in the top three reasons Gen Z chooses an employer.

How is Gen Z different from millennials in the workplace?
While both value purpose, Gen Z prioritizes work-life balance over career advancement only 6% aim for leadership versus millennials’ focus on climbing the ladder. Gen Z expects instant, informal feedback versus millennials’ acceptance of annual reviews. Gen Z seeks longer tenure with structured growth paths, while millennials prefer diverse lateral moves.

Are Gen Z workers entitled or just setting boundaries?
Research shows Gen Z isn’t entitled; they’re rejecting exploitation and toxic work cultures that previous generations tolerated. The viral November 2025 incident where a Gen Z employee refused to attend a meeting during family bereavement demonstrates healthy boundary-setting, not entitlement. They’re redefining professional expectations around human dignity and mental health.

How often should I give feedback to Gen Z employees?
Gen Z expects weekly minimum feedback through short one-on-one check-ins, not annual reviews. They grew up with instant responses from digital platforms and crave real-time recognition. Weekly touchpoints allow timely course corrections, reinforce growth focus, and demonstrate genuine investment in their development.

Why don’t Gen Z workers want to become managers?
69% of Gen Z actively avoid middle management roles through “conscious unbossing,” viewing management as high-stress with low rewards. They see managers burning out without adequate compensation or work-life balance. This creates succession planning challenges for organizations that must make leadership roles more attractive.

How can I retain Gen Z employees?
Retention strategies include providing continuous learning opportunities, mapping clear career progression, offering real-time feedback, connecting work to meaningful purpose, demonstrating empathy and mental health support, giving autonomy and flexibility, and creating diverse, inclusive cultures. Gen Z will leave quickly if organizational values don’t align with their own.

What’s the biggest mistake managers make with Gen Z?
The biggest mistake is applying traditional command-and-control management expecting Gen Z to adapt, rather than evolving leadership styles. Managers who prioritize tasks over people (like the viral November 2025 incident), provide only annual feedback, lack empathy, or fail to explain the “why” behind work will struggle with Gen Z retention and engagement.