^ I also 100% agree with the advice about "owning mistakes." That is not Gen Z specific but more a sign of maturity that will be recognized and respected.

It depends a lot on your industry. We have had a Gen Z front-of-office/case manager person for the past few years in our office (higher ed law) and I initially was judgy because she wears "weird" stuff (all sorts of hair colors, fish nets, sometimes a mini dress, sometimes leggings, has lots of tattoos) but she has been amazing and I wish I had been less judgmental when I met her. She works very hard, takes initiative, double checks her work, asks questions within reason, but also sets boundaries -e.g. she has an accommodation where she takes 15 minutes every day to take a walk. (That has been a great model for me.) She has great phone and interpersonal skills which is like a unicorn for that generation.

I would suggest that you (a) not be scared of the phone if you are in an industry where phones are used (or where written communications need to be documented and you may want to speak more informally with someone); (b) be technologically literate with whatever platforms your employer uses- the over 40s will probably expect you to know even more than them; (c) take note of the culture around you (our office is relatively casual but i worry about our Gen Z employee- she is moving on up to a new role, and I hope she is not dinged unfairly for how she dresses).

I'm 39, a lot of the complaints my older coworkers seem to have about my younger ones seem to stem from jealousy. They stand up for themselves more, they've been able to have policies implemented that have made our work environment better, they seem to have more confidence. The complaints I hear about them are nothing more than mean girl crap.

As for actual constructive stuff that I hear DH complain about...

Show up on time for meetings
Value other people's time
Don't abuse sick/PTO leave
Proof read things. If you're going to use AI, fine. But read through it and make sure it at least doesn't sound like formulaic BS.
If you're interviewing for a job and have to do some sort of test, don't use AI to do the test. They can tell.
Honor deadlines.
Own up to your mistakes. If something happens or goes wrong, just be honest about it. Don't try to lie or shift blame or talk your way out of it. Own up to it, say how you'll fix it, and say how you'll prevent it from happening again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're terrible. None of the 20-somethings on my team know how to use Microsoft 365. I would like the Gen Z people to take Microsoft training. Sorry, but most enterprises don't use Google Docs, they use Microsoft. Learn it.

Also, accept your meeting invitations.

As someone who had a job at a start up that is way harder to get into than Harvard and is run by nearly all 20 somethings wiz kids I will tell you this is what I learned:

Grammer is a sign of a low IQ inefficient worker who is outdate. These kids are from the texting, slack era. They don't spell check and use Emojis. I would send a slack message asking for something and a IDK is fine, sign off and emoji is fine.

Anything Microsoft is dated. All email is outdated, using a phone is outdate.

I ran a department there for 2.5 years. When I quit I realized I sent zero emails to staff in my three years and got zero emails. We used GMAIL mainly for outside contact people if necessary. I never has a single phone call with anyone. Also at most did a meeting in Google once a week tops. I poke you in Slack or do a Google Hangout if necessary. And we had no set working hours.

Some people checked email at most once a month. A calendar invite, sounds dated. cant you slack me, do a Jira ticket, share the google doc etc. I will get back when I want, be is Sunday at 2am or Thursday night at midnight. And me sitting on sofa, eating Pizza watching the game you are lucky if I update that link you sent me or responded in slack.

Dont be a Boomer. Be a Zoomer.

Is this satire?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious, what is wrong with that sentence? I’ve never gotten feedback that my writing is poor, so wondering what I could do better next time.

“I” is a subject. “Me” is an objective. You wrote “me and my peers” as the subject.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/grammar/me-vs-i/

Professionals do not employ Grammarly, AI, or ChatGPT.

Pro tip: you don’t have to employ Grammarly to read a blog on their website about when to use “me” vs “I”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're terrible. None of the 20-somethings on my team know how to use Microsoft 365. I would like the Gen Z people to take Microsoft training. Sorry, but most enterprises don't use Google Docs, they use Microsoft. Learn it.

Also, accept your meeting invitations.

As someone who had a job at a start up that is way harder to get into than Harvard and is run by nearly all 20 somethings wiz kids I will tell you this is what I learned:

Grammer is a sign of a low IQ inefficient worker who is outdate. These kids are from the texting, slack era. They don't spell check and use Emojis. I would send a slack message asking for something and a IDK is fine, sign off and emoji is fine.

Anything Microsoft is dated. All email is outdated, using a phone is outdate.

I ran a department there for 2.5 years. When I quit I realized I sent zero emails to staff in my three years and got zero emails. We used GMAIL mainly for outside contact people if necessary. I never has a single phone call with anyone. Also at most did a meeting in Google once a week tops. I poke you in Slack or do a Google Hangout if necessary. And we had no set working hours.

Some people checked email at most once a month. A calendar invite, sounds dated. cant you slack me, do a Jira ticket, share the google doc etc. I will get back when I want, be is Sunday at 2am or Thursday night at midnight. And me sitting on sofa, eating Pizza watching the game you are lucky if I update that link you sent me or responded in slack.

Dont be a Boomer. Be a Zoomer.

I’m glad you’re out your company. Please leave your thoroughly discombobulated communication style out of mine.

Anonymous wrote:They're terrible. None of the 20-somethings on my team know how to use Microsoft 365. I would like the Gen Z people to take Microsoft training. Sorry, but most enterprises don't use Google Docs, they use Microsoft. Learn it.

Also, accept your meeting invitations.

As someone who had a job at a start up that is way harder to get into than Harvard and is run by nearly all 20 somethings wiz kids I will tell you this is what I learned:

Grammer is a sign of a low IQ inefficient worker who is outdate. These kids are from the texting, slack era. They don't spell check and use Emojis. I would send a slack message asking for something and a IDK is fine, sign off and emoji is fine.

Anything Microsoft is dated. All email is outdated, using a phone is outdate.

I ran a department there for 2.5 years. When I quit I realized I sent zero emails to staff in my three years and got zero emails. We used GMAIL mainly for outside contact people if necessary. I never has a single phone call with anyone. Also at most did a meeting in Google once a week tops. I poke you in Slack or do a Google Hangout if necessary. And we had no set working hours.

Some people checked email at most once a month. A calendar invite, sounds dated. cant you slack me, do a Jira ticket, share the google doc etc. I will get back when I want, be is Sunday at 2am or Thursday night at midnight. And me sitting on sofa, eating Pizza watching the game you are lucky if I update that link you sent me or responded in slack.

Dont be a Boomer. Be a Zoomer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious, what is wrong with that sentence? I’ve never gotten feedback that my writing is poor, so wondering what I could do better next time.

“I” is a subject. “Me” is an objective. You wrote “me and my peers” as the subject.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/grammar/me-vs-i/

Professionals do not employ Grammarly, AI, or ChatGPT.

They're terrible. None of the 20-somethings on my team know how to use Microsoft 365. I would like the Gen Z people to take Microsoft training. Sorry, but most enterprises don't use Google Docs, they use Microsoft. Learn it.

Also, accept your meeting invitations.

Anonymous wrote:Grammar. “…don’t feel like my peers and I are…”

You beat me to it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grammar. “…don’t feel like my peers and I are…”

Thankfully Gen Z knows how to use AI better than you.

Clearly not since they didn't use a grammar check before posting. All too many people have not been taught basic grammar.

Not the PP.

A few reasons why, many not your fault.

Management training programs have been cut, going to On the Job Training pre-covid that is near impossible to do virtually or hybrid.

HR and Woke in the workforce limits what bosses can say to workers.

Less team goals and more individual goals over last decade. For example I got JIRA tickets, ServiceNow tickets, annual work required that my raises and bonus based off. They give zero credit for helping co-workers. So people have little incentive to help others.

Less time in office. Now this is both ways.

My first Job I had a formal Management Training Program. Eight weeks of intensive training ten hours a day with grading and we were instructed every aspect of company, how to dress, how to do a business lunch, how to interview, how to manage staff, how to do presentations, how to use firm software, how to do performance review etc. I was then assigned an area with staff where I worked 50 hour weeks. My management training program the 15 of us kept in touch and my bosses and staff was with me the whole 50 hours. We often go to drinks after work, around 3-40 times a year plus we talk over lunch. I get a lot of great feedback and advice over beers.

So by 26 I was at a level that my co-workers who are under 40 have yet to reach. And my younger co-workers under 26 are operating at the level of a 21 year old.

That said you have to go and get it. Come to work more, find a mentor, learn on your own, go to company events, join industry groups, volunteer to work and/or speak at industry conferences, get active LinkedIn and get your grand out there and take LinkedIn on line courses.

We are not going back to what I got. So get it yourself.

genx and boomers need to retire and take a nap

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, for real? Other than you taking the abuse, stop apologizing and stop begging. The constant "please, please, and sorry" is annoying. It makes you look like you did something wrong even when you did not. Often, work is great, and you have one of the rude and nasty older people say something, and even if you know you are right, you apologize.
If you are in charge of an event, don't ask about every little thing. Set up the calendar with people you are in charge of, such as a visit or similar. "Please let me know if you want to visit .... on...." It is your job to make the schedule and organize it.
Ask what their priorities are before, but then just do it.
Of course, if your boss is a narc, which so many are, this will get you in trouble. So pay attention if you work for a malignant, pathetic narcissist.

Gen Z is an anxious bunch. A lot of them don’t want to do something wrong which turns into not doing anything at all or being super annoying and needy about tasks.

I don't think so. I see Gen Z working hard, hours past the end of the working day. I see them as great workers and an incredibly innovative group of workers. Sorry, you are just a stereotype about how the generation younger than yours is lazy and horrible. You are the one sounding horrible here.

I seee 99% of the Gen Z in my workplace goofing off from 9-4:30, running out the door for a workout class, and not logging in at night. When pointed out that their inability to work a full work day is throwing work back onto the rest of the team, they run to HR and call everyone toxic.

Soft skills are needed.