💁 Gen Zs’ struggle with work etiquette is real

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😶 Let’s set things straight…

Whether you’re a senior executive or an entry-level worker, there are some things that just don’t fly at the workplace. For the average clueless fresh graduate stepping into the workforce for the first time, certain behaviours need to be either refined or even unlearnt if one wishes to flourish at work. 

In an interview with Thrive, Sam Neo, founder and chief people officer of HR and employer branding consultancy firm People Mentality, shares some common  🚩 mistakes that Gen Zs make when first entering the workplace:

• Being too casual in formal e-mails, especially when it comes to dealing with clients
• Communicating with bosses as if they are friends and laughing off mistakes made instead of genuinely trying to make changes 
• Being late for work or failing to meet deadlines (workplace flexibility ≠ tardiness) 
• Treating the workplace like their home (for example, under-dressing for certain meetings, especially with external guests or clients)

According to Neo, yielding to everything Gen Zs ask for (work from home all day err day!) and adapting to their needs (or are they wants?) is completely unrealistic. “Gen Zs need to learn how to be part of a team (at work) as well,” he notes.

“Things like punctuality, professionalism in terms of timely delivery and dressing appropriately according to the occasion, and delivering based on commitment are basic ground rules to follow at the workplace.”

👩🏻‍💻 Demonstrating consistency and responsibility

Establishing trust at the workplace is probably one of the most important skills that Gen Zs must pick up to survive. 

Take for example work-from-home and hybrid-work arrangements, which have now become a norm. When employees abuse the flexibility granted through such arrangements – such as by being tardy in replies or tending to side hustles while on the clock – trust can be broken, in turn damaging working relationships.

The last thing Gen Zs want is for more “stereotyping by senior colleagues”, or being labelled irresponsible – a common issue, Neo notes.  

“Building trust over time with consistent delivery of work assures bosses that they can be trusted regardless of where they work from,” he says. “To manage expectations, Gen Zs should remember to focus on how they plan to deliver on their given key performance indicators (KPIs).” 

The ability to communicate is important, too. Neo suggests that Gen Zs keep their managers in the loop by providing regular updates on the progress of their work. This can help them avoid being seen as “having potential, but lazy” or worse – flat-out incompetent.

👧🏻 The kids are alright

Still unsure if you’re making it work as a Gen Z at the workplace? Here are more ✅ tips that can help you thrive:

• Focus on understanding the context, culture and history of your projects, team and organisation before jumping to offer suggestions 
• Cultivate good relationships, especially with people in the organisation who have built a solid reputation. They could be seniors, or even Gen Z peers.
• Have a mindset of incremental change rather than a quantum leap, especially for those operating in more traditional organisations. Positive, long-lasting change at the workplace takes time.

TL;DR

• Certain formalities are still required at work – your bosses are not your friends, so refrain from being overly casual with them 🙅
• Don’t mistake workplace flexibility for laxity; being Gen Z isn’t an excuse to not try to pull yourself together at work 😤 
• Observe and mimic positive Gen Z exemplars at the workplace – you can always learn best from your peers! 👯
• Be patient with yourself if the working world seems like a lot to take in as a Gen Z. You’ll come into your own best working self in due time ⏱️