Gen Z staff are found to be the most difficult generation to work with, says new study

According to a new study, Gen Zers are the most difficult generation to work with.

ResumeBuilder surveyed 1,344 people in managerial positions across different industries in the US and they were asked what it was like working with staff born in 1997 and later.

Around 49 per cent declared people in the Gen Z age bracket are challenging to work with, while a jaw-dropping 79 per cent said they were the toughest generation to have in the workplace.

Additionally, 59 per cent revealed that they’ve had to fire a Gen Z employee, and 20 per cent even claimed to have given young workers the flick within a week of their start date.

Oh god, somewhere, a boomer is gleefully smiling.

Dmitriy Shironosov / Alamy Stock Photo

But as to why bosses claim that Gen Z is the less preferable generation? Well, bizarrely enough, according to the survey, ‘lack of technological skills’ rates as the number one reason.

You would’ve thought the generation that was spoon-fed TikTok dances straight out of the womb would’ve been a little more tech-savvy - especially when Susan from finance doesn’t even know how to copy and paste.

Other reasons why Gen Z is a tough cookie were that 39 per cent of surveyed participants said they lacked effort, and 37 per cent said they lacked motivation.

Fredrick Kippe / Alamy Stock Photo

Being easily distracted, having poor communication skills, being easily offended, lack of drive, dishonesty and entitlement were also flagged as the main reasons.

Adam Garfield, marketing director at Hairbro, told the study that while the younger generation is ‘highly innovative and adaptable’, they lack communication skills.

“One area where I believe Gen Z could improve in the workplace is their communication skills. While they are proficient in using digital communication tools, they may lack some of the interpersonal skills required for face-to-face interactions,” he said.

“Gen Zers could benefit from developing their communication skills to build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients.”

Akpan Ukeme, the head of HR at SGK Global Shipping Services, said that he finds Gen Z employees challenging as they often believe their digital skills are second to none.

“In our organisation, the Gen Zs I have interacted with can be exhausting because they lack discipline, and they like to challenge you,” said Ukeme.

“I’ve butted heads more than once with a Gen Z employee, because since our company is online-based, they think they know everything about the digital world and that they can teach me.

"They think they’re better than you, smarter than you, more capable than you, and they will tell you to your face."