Why 18% of US managers have considered quitting and 27% prefer not to hire Gen Z
A recent survey by
Intelligent.com
reveals that 18% of US managers have considered quitting their jobs due to the challenges of managing Generation Z (Gen Z) employees, while 27% stated they would avoid hiring them if possible.
The survey, conducted in October 2024, gathered responses from 1,000 US managers who oversee Gen Z employees.
The findings highlight growing concerns among US managers over Gen Z's work behaviour, professionalism, and impact on workplace dynamics. The results also show that more than half of the managers surveyed have had to adjust their management style to accommodate the needs of this younger workforce.
Key challenges identified by managers
According to the survey, 50% of managers reported excessive phone use among Gen Z employees as the most pressing issue.
Other frequent challenges include poor work ethic (47%), lack of initiative (45%), poor time management (44%), and unprofessional behaviour (43%).
In further breakdowns of professionalism concerns, 58% of managers said Gen Z employees demonstrated unprofessional attitudes, 53% noted unprofessional communication, and 45% cited an inability to receive feedback professionally.
These workplace behaviours have led to increased stress and frustration for many managers.
Intelligent.com reported that 51% of managers expressed frustration, and 44% said managing Gen Z employees caused them stress. Additional impacts include disappointment (31%), increased workload (27%), need for additional resources (26%), a decrease in personal productivity (20%), feelings of being overwhelmed (20%), and burnout (16%).
Challenge
Percentage of Managers Reporting Issue
Excessive phone use
50%
Poor work ethic
47%
Lack of initiative
45%
Poor time management
44%
Unprofessional behaviour
43%
Unprofessional attitude
58%
Unprofessional communication
53%
Unprofessional response to feedback
45%
Source: Intelligent.com
Impact on team dynamics and management styles
Intelligent.com's survey found that 52% of managers believed Gen Z employees caused tension between different generations in the workplace.
The most cited reasons for intergenerational tension were differing workplace attitudes and expectations (76%), communication issues (62%), conflicting priorities (47%), and clashes in work styles (42%).
To manage Gen Z employees more effectively, 65% of managers said they had changed their management style. Among them, 44% provided more frequent feedback, 38% reported increased micromanagement, 35% made adjustments to support work-life balance, and 32% allowed more time for tasks to be completed.
Furthermore, 75% of managers said that Gen Z employees require more time and resources than employees from other generations. Intelligent.com also reported that 54% of managers had experienced inappropriate tone or communication from Gen Z employees.
Management Adjustment / Team Impact
Percentage of Managers Reporting
Altered management style
65%
Provide more frequent feedback
44%
Micromanage more
38%
Adjust for work-life balance
35%
Allow more time for tasks
32%
Gen Z requires more time and resources
75%
Experienced inappropriate tone from Gen Z staff
54%
Gen Z reduces overall team productivity
54%
Gen Z causes intergenerational tension
52%
Source: Intelligent.com
Hiring and termination decisions
Despite these challenges, many managers continue to hire Gen Z employees due to the need to fill junior positions (54%), cost-effectiveness (47%), and concerns about age discrimination (34%).
However, 50% of managers acknowledged that they had fired a Gen Z employee, and 27% stated they would avoid hiring from this generation if alternatives were available.
This nationwide survey was conducted online by Intelligent.com using Pollfish and included managers aged 28 and above, with household incomes exceeding $75,000, managing at least one Gen Z employee in companies with over 11 employees.
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