Gen-Z professionals are being fired en masse because of these traits: how the generation divide is taking its toll in today’s workplace
A number of surveys have laid bare the professional conflict that exists between generations - although this is nothing new.
A high percentage of employers describe Gen-Z professionals as the most difficult to work with; indeed, a significant proportion say they’ve had to fire members of the generation just days after hiring them.
In a 2024 survey carried out by the employment website Resume Genius, 45% of hiring managers identified Gen Zers - defined by Pew Research Center as anyone born from 1997 onwards - as the “most challenging” generation of workers.
This compared with 26% who pointed to Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) as the most difficult generation; 13% for Gen-X workers (born between 1965 and 1980); and 9% for Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964).
Many managers firing Gen Zers firing within a week
And in a 2023 poll conducted by the job-seekers’ website Resume Builder, the results were even more striking. Seventy-four percent of managers and business leaders described Gen Z as the generation they find the hardest to work with.
Nearly two-thirds (59%) said they had fired a Gen-Z worker - and as many as one in five said they had had to dismiss a Gen Zer within a week of hiring them. Twenty-seven percent said they had taken such drastic action within a month of the Gen-Z employee’s arrival at their company.
In Resume Builder’s survey, managers listed the following chief reasons why they consider Gen-Z workers the toughest to work with:
- lack of technological skills: 39%
- lack of effort: 37%
- lack of motivation: 37%
- lack of productivity: 37%
- easily distracted: 36%
- poor communication skills: 36%
- easily offended: 35%
“GenZers could benefit from developing communication skills”
“Compared to other generations, I find GenZ to be highly innovative, and adaptable,” Adam Garfield, the marketing director at the hairpiece manufacturer Hairbro, told Resume Builder.
“They are not afraid to challenge the status quo and bring new ideas to the table. They also value authenticity and transparency and expect companies to be socially responsible and ethical.
“However, one area where I believe GenZ could improve in the workplace is their communication skills. While they are proficient in using digital communication tools, they may lack some of the interpersonal skills required for face-to-face interactions.
“GenZers could benefit from developing their communication skills to build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients”
In a similar vein, a marketing chief told U.S. News that communication and collaboration are an apparent issue for Gen-Z workers when it comes to problem-solving.
“Everyone talks about taking initiative, but I’ve seen new workers try to show themselves by fixing problems on their own, which slows them down,” explained Rob Gold, a marketing communications vice-president at the cloud-technology firm Intermedia, after the release of the Resume Builder poll.
“The most effective staff members not only work hard, but also smartly, leveraging collective knowledge.”
Intergenerational conflict nothing new
While the Resume Genius and Resume Builder surveys illustrate the generational divide that appears to exist between Gen-Z workers and their typically older managers, it’s also clear that tensions between age groups is hardly a professional phenomenon that came into being with the arrival of Gen Z.
During the 2010s, for example, a poll by the Robert Walters recruitment consultancy laid bare the conflict between Millennials and previous generations.
Notably, Millennials were criticized as the most “impatient generation” of workers, with nearly 70% of employers highlighting the generation’s pursuit of rapid career progression as a particular source of strife.
“According to our survey almost 60 percent of workers have experienced intergenerational conflict in the workplace,” the Robert Walters CEO, Chris Hickey, said after conducting the poll.
“As Millennials make up a growing part of the workforce, finding a way for members of different generations to work together effectively is an increasingly high priority.”
Now, as Gen Zers become a greater and greater presence in the professional world, a recent survey by the employment specialists Resume.io has detailed some of the major ways in which the new generation aims to re-shape the workplace.
What do Gen-Z workers want?
In particular, Gen-Z participants highlighted the importance of improving work-life balance. Per Resume.io’s June 2025 poll, 30% of Gen-Zers - more than any other generation - identified the adoption of a compressed, four-day work week as an employment perk of paramount importance.
Gen-Z workers also pinpointed the significance of recreational spaces in workplaces - such as the installation of ping-pong tables - and said it is essential that support is given to neurodiverse employees.
“This strong advocacy for inclusivity among younger workers signals a future where equity, accessibility, and wellness will be at the heart of workplace expectations,” writes Resume.io’s Bethany Watson.
“They’re not here to break things”
Geoffrey Scott, the senior hiring manager at Resume Genius, adds: “Gen Zers might have a bad rep, but they have the power to transform workplaces for the better.
“Gen Z has already shaken things up, but they’re not here to break things - they bring a unique blend of talent and bold ideas that can rejuvenate any workforce.”
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