Reverse Mentoring: Why Gen Z Is Career Coaching Boomers

Forbes

17-05-2025

Find out why the new trend of reverse mentoring is gaining ground in the workplace, with younger ... More workers coaching older employees on flexibility.
Picture this: A 22-year-old recent college graduate sits down to mentor one of the company's most senior executives. It might sound unconventional, but that's exactly the point. It's known as reverse mentoring, and it's a growing practice where junior employees share insights, experiences and perspectives with seasoned leaders. This trend flips the script, fostering two-way learning that can bridge generational gaps, spark fresh ideas and support more inclusive workplace cultures.
Business leaders predict that Gen Z will dominate the workplace by 2030, and you can already see glimmers of that happening in 2025. The younger generation of employees is reshaping the way work gets done. They are not hesitant to declare what they want. Gen Z prefers asynchronous communication, visual task management and flexible workflows, and they're pushing employers to rethink how collaboration happens across teams, according to Christine Royston, CMO at Wrike.
I spoke with the CMO, who told me that these shifts are more than just generational preferences. Royston sees them as signals of a permanent change in workplace productivity. Plus, she believes Gen Z is driving the adoption of smarter, more flexible collaboration platforms.
"Gen Z prefers asynchronous communication, visual task management and flexible workflows, and is pushing employers to rethink traditional models of collaboration,
Royston states. 'I'm seeing Gen Z accelerating the shift away from rigid hierarchies and toward cultures that are fluid, tech-enabled and rooted in shared purpose.'
The CMO points out that Gen Z doesn't want to "fit in" with the culture; they want to expand it. She interprets that to mean they expect organizations to create environments that welcome diverse perspectives and empower innovation. 'Culture is no longer a static concept or a set of values on a wall, it's a dynamic operating system that either fuels progress or holds it back, and thanks to Gen Z, it's evolving faster than ever.'
Gen Z is bringing their updated version of how the workplace should be run. They're rewriting shift work in an emerging popular trend known as micro-shifts, tailored for flexibility and work-life balance to meet the needs of both employees and employers. And they are taking micro-retirements instead of waiting until later in life to travel the world, paving the way for workers to prioritize work-life balance. Now, one of the newest trends they're bringing to the workplace is reverse mentoring to their older colleagues.
'There is an increasing need for companies today to be both innovative and connected to their people,' John Staines, managing partner of global human resources at DHR Global told me. 'It's about staying ahead of the curve while creating a culture that is collaborative and engaging.'
Staines says senior leaders are recognizing that Gen Z has a fresh perspective when it comes to topics like technology and workplace culture, and they're hungry to bring that creativity to the table. 'It encourages authentic leadership where learning flows in all directions, not just top-down. And it works!' he insists. 'I put this in place at Cigna, and we learnt so much from our young colleagues.'
Staines explains how reverse mentoring works. It pairs junior or younger employees with senior leaders to share ideas, experiences and feedback. He says it flips the traditional mentoring model, fostering a two-way learning experience to help bridge generational gaps and spark new ideas. Plus, reverse mentoring diffuses generational tensions to drive growth by helping executives challenge their traditional ways of thinking.
'We find that organizations that embrace reverse mentoring have stronger cultures because every voice is being valued, making employees at all levels feel heard,' He states. 'In order for it to be successful, executives need to really embrace the ideas and feedback, and make changes that reflect these conversations.'
I asked Staines that after 45% of management accuse Gen Z as the worst to manage, why would seasoned executives subject themselves to a generation of young workers who have been vilified. He told me that baby boomer leaders are open to reverse mentoring, especially when its value is clearly communicated.
'The intention is not for Gen Z employees to boss senior leaders around, but rather to offer a new way of looking at an issue,' Staines explains. 'While there may be hesitation from some, many baby boomers are very open to learn and connect with younger generations when given the chance. The key is approaching it with mutual respect, not judgment.'
He is convinced that when Gen Z employees are empowered to share their perspectives in a thoughtful way, most senior leaders respond positively. He adds that the goal for the leader is to walk away from these discussions feeling optimistic and more in tune with their teams. 'I have used reverse mentoring to design early career leadership programs, gaining understanding of what early career leaders are looking for and differentiating our programs from our competitors.'
Staines asserts that reverse mentoring is a powerful driver of organizational growth from the top down. He told me that he knows it works because he has experienced how it fosters empathy, sparks innovation and strengthens collaboration across age and experience levels.
'Reverse mentoring creates a space for real and honest conversations that may not happen otherwise. It allows for both junior and senior employees to understand and listen to each other's perspectives, even if they are different from their own,' Staines concludes. 'This builds empathy, which is extremely important in any working environment. It exposes leaders to new ideas and technologies they may not encounter on their own in their day-to-day, which will unlock innovation and drive employee engagement. By connecting employees across experience levels and roles, it fosters a shared sense of purpose.'