Gen Z workers aren't entitled, they're scared. Layoffs have touched almost every young person's family, so they work hard but protect themselves financially, expecting companies to cut them loose. Employers calling this entitlement miss the point: these workers need psychological safety, not judgment.
Chapters
We have all these labels and judgments, especially of younger generations. And I guess the younger generations have it of us. And so now you look at a young generation who's entering the workforce, and I guarantee you close to 100% of them, one of their parents was laid off or one of their friend's parents was laid off through no fault of their own. It's not a meritocracy. The company missed its annual projections. They did fine. They just missed the number and somebody lost their job. They've grown up now in a world that demands loyalty but offers none. Mm-hmm. And so the cultural response is, well, the company's going to offer me nothing. I might work my brains out, and at the end of the year, I'm just going to get laid off anyway. Might as well cash in early. Might as well get that money upfront because there's no guarantees. And they're right. That is the correct response for the business world that we live in today. And so that's what I mean by empathy. Because if you don't ask, where did that come from? And you don't peel the onion a little bit, what you'll do is you'll call them entitled, you'll treat them as entitled, you will put all these barriers up and try and teach them your way, which is not appropriate for the times we live in. And so once you know that, you say, got it. They're afraid. Of losing a job through no fault of their own. Okay, so the next time the company goes through a really difficult time, I'm going to make sure that they feel safe.
