To the Gen X director and the millennial director who are thinking about writing a scathing op-ed regarding the entitlement of Gen Z and Alpha:
People aren’t leaving because they are entitled. They are leaving because your company culture is exploitative, toxic, and lacks interesting projects.
Yes, it’s true – in your day, you took on everything with your head down and did what you were told. Your parents’ generation did the same and had fewer options. The generation before them was oppressed in more ways than you can imagine. Spot a pattern?
The next generation always raises the bar. Gen Z and Gen A are more aware, more informed, more courageous, and will stand up for themselves. A wise supervisor sees them as an asset to be used to drive structural and institutional cultural change. A neanderthal hangs on to their own experiences and wants to impose them on others.
If you’re essentially thinking, “I suffered through ABC and turned out FINE. The next-gen should also suffer,” try to say that out loud. You’re clearly damaged if you think this way. Get help.
Show me a person calling Gen Z/A entitled, and I’ll show you a supervisor incapable of:
- Evolving themselves
- Offering valuable work experience
- Being unwilling to fight for his/her team
- Accepting mistakes and shortcomings
- Going above and beyond for their employer/firm
Gen Z/A has access to collective experience sharing through organic UGC and knows what their rights are, what meaningful work is, what they should be paid, and, more importantly, what they are worth. If you have successfully supervised Gen Z/A, it means you can do so abroad as well.
While your generation and the ones before you were in survival mode, Gen Z/A are in thriving mode. The difference between the two modes is the audacity to speak up. You laid the groundwork for stability; now encourage what it reaps.
What you tolerated – office baby showers.
What Gen Z/A demands – paid parental leave.
What you tolerated – meditation app.
What Gen Z/A demands – eradication of gaslighting and yelling.
What you tolerated – men taking the credit.
What Gen Z/A demands – women being heard and acknowledged for speaking up.
What you tolerated – company-wide email saying good work.
What Gen Z/A demands – the promised bonus for the good work.
What you tolerated – being mansplained.
What Gen Z/A demands – to be heard without saying, “Can I finish, please?”
What you tolerated – treats at the morning meeting.
What Gen Z/A demands – option for remote work.
What you tolerated – being guilt-tripped for using sick leaves to care for ill children.
What Gen Z/A demands – for everyone to visit STFU mountain when a request is filed.
What you tolerated – handing over special projects.
What Gen Z/A wants – enthusiastically announcing the overdue promotion.
What you tolerated – being told she is valued.
What Gen Z/A demands – being paid the same as colleagues in the same rank.
What you tolerated – company swag.
What Gen Z/A demands – PTO without guilt.
What you tolerated – critiqued for being outgoing and opinionated.
What Gen Z/A demands – personality and brightness to be valued.
What you tolerated – being made the designated note-taker or caterer.
What Gen Z/A demands – attend meetings as the expert she is.
What you tolerated – being called “emotional” or “difficult to deal with.”
What Gen Z/A demands – to be heard and see follow-through.
What you tolerated – condolences for the passing of a loved one.
What Gen Z/A demands – bereavement leave approved without stipulation.
What you tolerated – being overused and underappreciated.
What Gen Z/A demands – to be treated like a results-driven professional.
What you tolerated – attention.
What Gen Z/A demands – recognition.
Do this and change the culture of the company. Retain the best, and other companies will do the same for their employer brand. Distribute the case studies across all industry associations. That first-world nation you’re planning to immigrate to? Do all of this, and you have the power to make Pakistan worth staying for.