There’s been a lot of chatter about Gen Z, both positive and negative.  Negative perceptions focus on Gen Z’s lack of work ethic, addiction to technology, and inability to handle face-to-face interactions, while positive perceptions highlight their “high collaboration, self-reliance, and pragmatism” (De Witte).   Situated after Millennials and before Generation Alpha, Gen Z refers to those people born between 1997 and 2012, who have been shaped by the digital age, Covid, and climate anxiety.  This matters to you because there’s 69.3 million of them, representing more than 20% of the US population. And growing! (Dimock)

Management students and scholars recognize that an organizational culture is comprised of top managers, middle-level managers, first line managers, and employees. This traditional structure worked well—until it didn’t. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and Meta CEO recognize that to be effective in today’s changing business landscape, organizational structures need to be ‘flatter’ with middle managers having to relinquish their positions. (Burleigh) With layoffs sweeping the nation, especially in the technology industry, there is a unique workplace phenomenon with middle managers being let go, while individual contributors—the employees—are being called back to the office. 

Why is the flattening of organizational hierarchy occurring and how does this support a climate for Gen Z’s success?  Amazon’s Jassy and Meta’s Zuckerberg say it best. Jassy notes that a “flattened hierarchy gives more power to workers” and Zuckerberg agrees by stating ‘flattening’ was “essential to the business’s restructure….This change would make the company’s information flow faster.” (Burleigh) A flattened hierarchy and fewer middle management roles entice Gen Z workers with “52% saying they would rather not be middle managers and 72% saying they’d rather take an individual route to progression than supervise other people.” (Burleigh)

What’s their reasoning? Gen Z workers remember the burnout of their family members who suffered from a lack of well-being. They witness their bosses overwhelmed by company changes, lack of support, and a non-existent work-life balance. Gen Z workers want more for themselves. They’re not lazy, but instead crave flexibility, authenticity, and diversity.  Gen Z workers thrive in environments that require them to adapt and be entrepreneurial as they “bring gaps between traditional norms and modern approaches” (De Witte)

Gen Z also has a lack-of-leadership mentality which matches perfectly with companies like Amazon who are moving to individual contributor style structures. (Burleigh) This trend of focusing on one’s own personal growth by turning down workplace promotions due to a desire to avoid managerial responsibilities is known as ‘conscious unbossing’ (Vitrano).  LAK President Michael Grubich notes that Gen Z workers “really values coaching and mentorship and if they don’t have it, they get disconnected from what leadership really is or what it takes to be in that next level role in an organization” (Vitrano). 

What does success look like for Gen Z workers? A healthy combination of being their own boss and work-life balance.