Gen Z Is Not the Problem. Your Leadership Style Might Be.
Ranjan Sinha
Logistics Expert|Supply Chain Digital Transformation |Port Operation Specialist|Project Manager|Career Coach|Warehouse Management|Transportation|Terminal Operating System (TOS)IFaculty Teacher
Gen Z is set to make up over 30% of the workforce in the next few years. That’s right. You can’t escape them anymore.
And if you’ve been scrolling through LinkedIn (or any social platform), you’ve probably heard the same complaints:
“They’re entitled.” “They’re lazy.” “They have zero work ethic.”
But what if I told you that’s not the full story?
What if Gen Z isn’t the issue? What if they’re just... misunderstood?
The Truth About Gen Z: It’s Not Entitlement, It’s Different Priorities
Let’s take a step back.
Gen Z grew up with smartphones, high-speed internet, and instant answers. They don’t know a world without Google, YouTube, and AI assistants.
This means their priorities are different. They value flexibility, purpose, and authenticity more than any generation before them.
And guess what? That’s not entitlement. That’s evolution.
Why Managing Gen Z Feels Hard (Hint: It’s Not Them, It’s You)
Last year, a client of mine shared his frustration:
“My Gen Z hires are great at what they do. But if they don’t like something? They’ll just leave. No notice, nothing!”
Sound familiar?
Here’s what I told him: You can’t manage Gen Z the way you managed Millennials, Gen X, or Boomers.
What worked before won’t work now.
Gen Z doesn’t just want a paycheck. They want meaning, mentorship, and growth.
If you don’t give them that? They’ll move on. Simple.
Stop Blaming Gen Z. Start Building Better Systems.
Most companies lack the systems to attract, retain, and engage this new workforce.
Instead, they wing it—and when things go wrong, they blame the generation.
But the truth is, your business needs systems that work for everyone.
Here’s What You Need to Do Instead:
1?? Create a Culture of Ownership & Accountability – Give Gen Z the autonomy to take charge of their work while holding them accountable for results.
2?? Hire for Alignment, Not Just Skills – Skills can be taught, but if they don’t align with your company’s vision, they won’t stay.
3?? Show a Clear Path for Growth – No one wants a dead-end job. If you don’t provide career progression, they’ll find it elsewhere.
Let’s stop complaining about Gen Z and lead them correctly.
#Leadership #GenZWorkforce #FutureOfWork #TalentManagement #WorkplaceCulture #HR #CareerGrowth #EmployeeEngagement
Performance Coach, Leadership Mentor, Online trainer, Webinars, Corporate Workshops. Visiting Professor at IIMs. Author.
1 周Food for thought indeed....
Owner of Desert Rose Transport L.L.C
2 周You left out that they lack common sense for most that is including my own daughter. That is not a dig on them , it's how they were brought up with schooling and all of the technology. Problem solving skills are a bit more difficult for many of them because the schooling tried but failed to make them "find a different way" than the norm. That's how you succeed in life finding any way possible to get it done. You can't learn that off Google, or from a motivator from tik tok, it needs to be hands on. Yes we hire them on , including the one I'm talking about, my daughter, but the current work force needs to set up a hands on program with a mentor so both can learn from each other to be successful. No digs on anyone just my own experience and opinion.
FDX retired
2 周Not that simple :) but makes good reading -