Gen Z at Work: Lead the Person, Not the Label

If you missed last week’s Peer Talk, we’re replaying the conversation on The GrowthPro Edge this week so you won’t miss this great conversation.

Every generation has complained about the one coming up behind it. Boomers complained about Gen X. Gen X complained about millennials. And right now, plenty of managers are shaking their heads at Gen Z.

But as host Denise Killian pointed out at the beginning of the conversation, nobody is actually the worst generation. They’re just different.

For this Peer Talk, Denise brought together a panel spanning three generations: Madison Amico, Digital Marketing Specialist at A&A Global and a member of Gen Z; Stephanie Gaines, National Human Resources Manager at Embed and a Gen Xer; Adam Kleinhenz of Shaffer Distributing, also Gen X; and Genevieve Sullivan of TrainerTainment and The GrowthPro Group, representing millennials.

What came out of the conversation was not a list of ways Gen Z needs to change. It was a practical look at what younger employees are asking for, what leaders may be misunderstanding, and what managers can do to get the best from the people on their teams.

“Why?” Is Not a Challenge

One of the first labels the panel tackled was one Gen Z hears often: entitled.

Madison, who built A&A Global’s first internship program and also coaches high school volleyball, sees it differently. She describes it as a shift in values, not a lack of work ethic.

Gen Z often wants to understand why something matters before they commit their energy to it. They want transparency. They want feedback. And they want to understand how their work connects to something bigger than the task sitting in front of them.

Stephanie, who has spent more than 15 years in human resources, agreed. Her generation was often taught that when a manager told you to do something, you did it. No questions asked. But she has found that when a Gen Z employee asks “why,” it is not necessarily a challenge to authority. Often, they are trying to understand how their work contributes to the business. Once they understand that connection, they tend to be more motivated and more invested.

Don’t Assume They Know the Technology

Here is one that may surprise managers.

Growing up with smartphones does not mean a young employee automatically knows every piece of technology in your business.

Madison pointed out that an unfamiliar point-of-sale system, scheduling platform, or even an older filing system still requires real training. Being comfortable with technology is not the same thing as already knowing your technology.

Genevieve took the idea one step further: don’t assume anything. Ask employees what they already know, what they don’t know, and how they learn best. Younger employees are often very aware of how they take in information, and many will tell you exactly what helps them learn if you simply ask.

Give Feedback That Actually Lands

The panel also spent time talking about feedback.

Gen Z tends to respond well to positive reinforcement, but that does not mean handing out praise just for showing up. Good feedback still needs to be honest and specific.

Tell someone exactly what they did well. Then talk about what they can improve.

Madison offered another simple idea: before jumping in with corrections, ask, “What would you do differently?”

Often, the employee already knows. Giving them the chance to identify it themselves turns the conversation into coaching instead of correction.

The same idea applies to training. Give people room to make mistakes when the stakes are low. Role-playing a difficult guest interaction during training is a much better place to stumble than in front of an upset family on a Saturday afternoon.

Stephanie added an important reminder about recognition: not everyone wants to be recognized the same way. One employee may love being celebrated in front of the whole team. Another may be far more comfortable hearing, “You did a great job today,” privately from a manager. Knowing the difference is part of knowing your people.

Small Accommodations Can Build Big Loyalty

Adam brought an operator’s perspective to the conversation.

At one point, he ran a family entertainment center with about 80 team members, many of them high school students working in the arcade and on the bowling lanes.

He wanted everyone there at 4:00 for a pre-shift rally. That was the expectation.

Then reality showed up.

Some employees simply could not get there until 4:15 or 4:30 because of school, transportation, or other commitments.

Instead of turning it into a constant battle, he adjusted. His advice was simple: set clear expectations, but deal with each person based on their actual situation. Sometimes a little flexibility is the difference between keeping a good employee and watching them walk out the door.

We Have More in Common Than We Think

By the end of the conversation, the panel kept coming back to the same things: respect, room to grow, a clear path forward, and a leader you can trust.

None of those things belong exclusively to Gen Z. They are things people from every generation have wanted from work.

Each panelist left managers with one piece of advice.

Madison: Don’t make assumptions. Give people the opportunity to show you who they are.

Stephanie: Invest in your managers because they are the people your front-line employees look to every day.

Adam: Empower your team, and empower yourself to do the small things for them. Send the birthday text. Show up for the important moment. Let them know they matter.

Genevieve: Stop blaming and start solving.

Lead the Person, Not the Generation

It is easy to blame a generation when an employee does not behave the way we expect.

It is harder, and much more useful, to ask whether we have trained them well, explained the reason behind the work, given useful feedback, set clear expectations, and taken the time to understand what motivates them.

Gen Z is not lazy. They are changing some of the expectations people bring to work, and in many ways, that is forcing leaders to become more thoughtful about how they communicate, train, recognize, and develop their teams.

That is not lowering the bar. Done well, it can raise the bar for everyone.