Is Gen Z asking for too much in the workplace? – The Front Page

Working from home is one of the most common flexible working arrangements. Photo / Getty Images

Gen Z can be credited with a few things – an uptick in climate awareness, the ability to work any kind of technology, and the revival of straight leg jeans to name a few ...

However, recruiters across the ditch in Australia have spoken out about Gen Z graduates’ demands on employers – saying their “arrogant” expectations are leaving a bad taste in their bosses’ mouths.

The oldest of the generation, born between 1997 and 2012, are 27 years old, so they are set to stick around in the workforce for quite some time.

The Australia and New Zealand chief executive of recruitment agency Robert Walters, Shay Peters, told The Front Page this generation is unique.

“They’ve come through at a time when the global labour market has seen significant change. They’ve been coming through university, Covid times and what that presents is a generation of individuals that’s done a lot of remote working compared to their predecessors, and they’ve seen a lot during that time.

“They’ve seen a depressed labour market during Covid with the world panicking. Then they’ve seen a boom labour market where supply definitely didn’t meet the levels of demand ... required at the time, post-Covid,” he said.

Peters said there is a level of expectation of flexibility with this new crop of workers.

“Also probably a level of expectation on leadership. It’s a very different generation that doesn’t necessarily respect leadership for a job title. Gen Z are far more purpose-driven and so what we’re seeing is that they’re really looking for leaders to be truly inspiring and visionary, and having a lot of empathy towards their staff.”

Public Service Minister Nicola Willis has asked government departments to call their staff back to the office and to enforce stricter rules on working from home.

She issued guidance to the Public Service Commissioner setting an expectation that “working from home arrangements are not an entitlement and should be by agreement”.

Peters agreed and said you can’t learn and develop if you’re working from home full-time.

“It’s just impossible. Real work in a job, as we all know, comes from being on the desk, sitting, listening and hearing others actually doing the job. That’s the real stuff.

“You can’t get taught that stuff in online classrooms. So, I think the level of expectation around staying from home 100% of the time, it’s just ridiculous.

“I think that is a throwback to when they were online working and doing university full-time, but that’s just not the reality of life,” he said.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Gen Z in the workforce.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the NZ Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

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