Gen Z needs office etiquette skills, hiring managers say

Gen Z — people born between 1997 and 2012 — is graduating from college and flooding the labor market, bringing a fresh outlook and bold ideas to traditional workplaces. And not everyone appreciates it.

Nearly half (45%) of hiring managers say Gen Z is the most challenging generation to work with, according to a 2024 survey by Resume Genius. In another survey, three in 10 managers told ResumeBuilder.com they try to avoid hiring Gen Z workers, saying they lack traditional workplace etiquette. About 18% of managers have considered quitting because of the stress of managing them, according to a Nov. 5 report from online education magazine Intelligent.com.

Their top complaints? About 57% said Gen Zers have trouble making eye contact and dress inappropriately during job interviews, according to the ResumeBuilder.com survey. 

Almost 20% used inappropriate language during the interview, about 16% had an inappropriate setting during virtual interviews and 13% refused to turn their cameras on during a virtual interview. And about 9% brought a parent to the job interview, according to survey respondents.

The first two issues could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, experts said. Gen Zers were likely in college at the time and had to transition to online classes. They became accustomed to being offscreen and may not directly correlate eye contact with paying attention. 

"I do think that Covid had something to do with it because we were already going in a trend where so many were comfortable on a phone or behind a computer," said etiquette expert Jules Hirst.

Is the knock against Gen Z valid?

Branding agency CEO Sunny Bonnell, who has about 10 Gen Z employees, said the work etiquette issue is overblown, especially when it comes to managers being less willing to tolerate boundary-crossing behavior.

"I think leaders sort of see their Gen Z boldness as a breach of professionalism," Bonnell said.

She thinks Gen Z feels less obligated to their employer than previous generations, who may have been willing to work late without extra pay, take meetings during vacations and defer to their employers.

"Gen Z was raised with the outlook of work life balance, stability and technology,” Bonnell said. "They’re watching their parents and grandparents work tirelessly, sometimes at the cost of their well-being. So many of them have decided they don’t want that."

What can be done?

Bonnell recommends Gen Zers do lots of research while job-hunting to make sure there’s a culture and values fit. If you want a company that respects work-life balance, you should find one that already does rather than expect a company to change its existing value structure. 

See if you can talk to people who have worked there before or are currently employed. Ask your network if they know someone who would be willing to share. 

If you’re a hiring manager looking to breathe new life into a company, you may need to be prepared to hire someone who doesn’t fit the mold.

"Sometimes Gen Z is here to question, not conform," Bonnell said. "Companies want innovation, but are shocked when it isn't dressed in a suit."

What Gen Z needs to know

Even though some allowances should be made for youth, Hirst said there are still some basic concepts that Gen Z should understand.

First, never be late. She recommends that Gen Z workers always show up a few minutes early to Zoom meetings (you never know when technology will not cooperate and you’ll have to restart your computer).

Second, be aware of how much you’re talking about non-work topics. Sure, sometimes coworkers can feel like friends, but that doesn’t mean you can spend an hour gabbing about last night’s date.

"Think about what it is that you’re sharing — is it something that you would want to see on social media?" Hirst said. "If you don’t want that to be shared, maybe don’t share that at work."

Third, try to put your phone away during meetings and conversations. Even if you feel like you’re paying attention, you’re sending a message that the other person isn’t worth your undivided attention. 

Eye contact is important, especially in a meeting with clients or patients. It shows you’re paying attention.

"If it’s uncomfortable to look them in their eyes, look between their eyebrows," Hirst said. "It will look like you’re making eye contact even if you’re not."

These etiquette lessons are important even if you’re working in a traditional field, like law or finance, that are less likely to bend toward younger generations.