Why Managers Dread Working with Young GenZ Employees

Why managers dread working with young GenZ employees.

Unlike previous generations, they’ve grown up with safety and stability as a given. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, their lower-order needs are already met, so they focus on higher-order ones: status, impact, and purpose. To many managers, this shows up as entitlement, resistance to authority, and rapid job-switching — making retention feel impossible.

The pain is real. HR heads report high attrition costs. Team leaders feel disrespected when their experience doesn’t command the influence it once did. And worse, organizations lose promising talent before they can be shaped into future leaders.

But here’s the paradox: GenZ employees are also the most competent generation so far. With unlimited access to technology and knowledge since childhood, they often know more than their seniors in certain domains. This creates friction. Managers feel ignored, and GenZ employees feel undervalued — both sides walk away frustrated.

Research backs this up. Psychologists like Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence) remind us that influence comes not from knowledge, but from connection and empathy. Robert Cialdini (Influence) also shows how recognition and validation are among the strongest motivators of human behavior. When managers ignore this, they lose GenZ before the real work even begins.

I’ve seen this first-hand. Having conducted 600+ workshops on leadership, productivity, sales, and mental health with companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Deloitte, JP Morgan, and more — and having coached people across all six continents — I can tell you: the GenZ challenge is not about entitlement. It’s about psychology.

So how do you bridge this gap? Here’s a 3-step framework for managers to work effectively with GenZ employees:

1. Let them feel smart first. GenZ has grown up with information at their fingertips. If you try to compete with them on facts, you’ll lose their trust. Instead, acknowledge their knowledge. Compliment their sharpness. When they feel valued, they become far more open to your guidance. (Robert Greene, in The Laws of Human Nature, notes that everyone wants recognition before they accept influence. GenZ is no exception.)

2. Build rapport before change. Most companies make the mistake of jumping straight into behavior correction. That doesn’t work. Spend the initial sessions — or the first weeks as a manager — on building trust and connection. Only once rapport is established will GenZ employees accept feedback and alignment.

3. Role model discipline, not just knowledge. You cannot out-internet GenZ. They already have information. What they lack are habits and real-world relational skills. If you model consistency, emotional balance, and discipline, they’ll respect you more than if you try to outsmart them. Influence flows from example, not authority.

Once these three steps are in place, additional strategies like coaching, empathy, and psychological safety take root more effectively. Reinforcement through one-to-one coaching makes learning stick. Acknowledging their social maturity — their awareness of global issues — builds loyalty. And simple gestures like appreciation and flattery go a long way in keeping GenZ engaged.

The choice is clear. Ignore GenZ psychology, and you’ll keep losing talent, respect, and money. Embrace their psychology, and you’ll not only retain them, but also unlock a generation of sharp, socially conscious, and impact-driven leaders.