Dealing with Gen Z in the workplace

It is often said that the only constant is change. In today's dynamic workplaces, we are seeing a new phenomenon where individuals from different generations are meeting and working together.

Gen Xers and Millennials have long found themselves working together in different capacities within the workspace, but now Gen Z is entering the fray. 

This makes the work ecosystem even more diverse. 

We spoke to some of the older people to understand their experiences of working with this emerging generation.

Henry Opondo, the chairman of the Law Society of Kenya, Nakuru Chapter, says for him it is a mix of good and bad.

"Working with Gen Z is both stressful and easy at the same time. As millennials, we see ourselves as a link between the older generation and the younger ones. He says that most of Gen Z do not appreciate the calm with which things should be approached and they lack strategy and therefore do not have a plan when approaching certain tasks," he says.

On the other hand, he says he appreciates the ingenuity with which they approach some aspects of their work. 

"Gen Z's are tech-savvy and for some of us we are still in the transition phase of trying to adapt and understand the new technology, for example in our case the aspect of virtual courts where we would ask for help in case of technical difficulties. Their ability to have acquired these skills early on helps them to adapt easily," he said. 

Echoing the LSK chairperson's sentiments, Dominicah Maina, a serial entrepreneur in Nakuru, says Gen Zs have indeed brought a new dynamic to the workplace. 

"I would say that many of them are very creative but what they really lack is the aspect of professionalism, for example, someone may not report to work and even communicate in advance or not bother to communicate at all and this poses a huge challenge in the work ecosystem," says Dominicah. 

She also points out that some of them lack consistency in their duties. 

"You will find that especially those in the creative space will come up with very brilliant ideas but when it comes to implementing them over a period of time, it becomes a challenge and especially for those in this sector, consistency is very important to be able to progress career wise," she says. 

Nancy Wambugu, a human resources expert, says there is indeed a difference, especially in the way Gen Z's approach things and also in terms of communication. 

"Many of the younger generation are always direct in the way they communicate and this sometimes does not sit well with the older generations who are not used to it and therefore it is a very big challenge most of the time," she said. 

She agrees that Gen Zs have a good understanding of technology and always try to find the simplest way to complete a task. 

"As it stands, more and more of these young men and women are entering the workforce in many different sectors, so there is a need to bridge the gap between these different age groups. Above all, they should embrace the aspect of learning from each other as they all have a different perspective of how they see things," she said.