A Reddit user, claiming to be a seasoned manager, shared their struggle with hiring Gen Z employees. According to the user, Gen Z isn’t lazy. In fact, most are smart, confident and good with technology. But many come with high expectations.
Some candidates arrive late to interviews or skip follow-ups. Some refuse jobs if full-time remote work isn’t offered. New hires ask for flexible hours within days or take feedback too personally.
“I’ve had new hires ask for more flexible hours within a week of starting, or push back on feedback as if I personally attacked their identity,” the user wrote.
“I respect that they value boundaries and mental health truly, I do. But sometimes, it feels like there’s no space left for basic professionalism,” the user added.
The manager wants a modern, balanced team but says it’s tough when job seekers act like they’re joining a casual collaboration rather than a proper job.
“As a manager, I want to build a team that’s modern, balanced, and forward-thinking. But it’s hard when I feel like I’m interviewing people who treat a job offer like a casual collab, not a real commitment,” says the post.
“I’m not asking anyone to burn out or give up their values just to meet me halfway,” the manager added.
When checked last, it seems like the Reddit user deleted the post. LiveMint has also come to know that the user’s Reddit account is suspended for now while the reason remains unclear.
Other posts about Gen Z
This is not the first time a manager has expressed dissatisfaction about Gen Z employees. In the same Reddit group, another post called the generation of professionals “extremely transactional”.
“Everything is transactional, seemingly time-bound (the faster the better, even more so now that they’re clearly using AI). Despite being in office where I can easily see them, this employee always defaults to “working” on personal phone as soon as “assigned task” is done…” says the post.
“I don’t want to just lump all “digital natives” in a bucket as having ‘different’ attention spans. But I do find this behaviour troubling and appreciate advice from anyone who’s navigated similar successfully,” the post added.