The Question I Get Asked Most (And My Honest Answer)
“Dr. Batchelder, is Gen Z really that different from other generations when they were young?”
I get this question at least three times a week – from podcast listeners, consulting clients, and even family members at dinner parties. And honestly? My answer might surprise you.
Yes and no.
Here’s the thing – every generation has shaken things up when they entered the workforce. Boomers challenged the rigid hierarchies their parents accepted. Gen X pushed back against the corporate ladder-climbing mentality. Millennials brought technology and questioned work-life balance norms.
So in that sense, no generational workplace friction isn’t new.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Gen Z is entering a workplace that’s already been disrupted. They’re not just challenging the status quo; they’re inheriting a world where remote work exists, where mental health conversations are happening, and where social justice matters to consumers.
They’re not creating these changes – they’re accelerating them.
What makes them unique isn’t their desire for flexibility or meaningful work. It’s that they have no memory of a time when these things seemed impossible. To them, work-life balance isn’t revolutionary – it’s common sense.
When a Gen Z employee asks about mental health days or questions why a meeting couldn’t have been an email, they’re not being entitled. They’re applying logic to systems that older generations learned to navigate without questioning.
So yes, they’re different. But not in the ways most people think.
The real difference? They’re not waiting for their turn to make changes. They expect workplaces to make sense from day one.
And honestly? I think that’s exactly what we need.
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