Generation Z under fire of criticism: are they the “least reliable” among all other workers?.

Gen Z (or Generation Z): This is a demographic of people born between 1997 and 2012. They are the successors of the millennial generation and are often known for their digital adoption as they grew up in the age of the internet and smartphones.

68% of small business owners in the U.S. said Gen Z is the "least reliable" of all their employees.

71% said these young workers were more likely to have mental health issues in the workplace.

This is the latest data from a new report from the Freedom Economy Index conducted by Public Square and RedBalloon this month, writes Hugs.fund.

Overall, the opinions in the survey suggest that when Gen Z enters the workforce, it becomes difficult for companies to operate in those conditions. More and more employers are saying that the younger generation is toxic to their business.

But this has always been the case with the "change of generations"

Dan Space, an HR consultant, says that because the study reflects the opinions of small business owners, it can be skewed. According to him, these types of businesses often do not pay enough or do not offer a high-quality corporate culture. At the same time, Generation Z, as a rule, is looking for themselves in some roles or careers that they undertake.

"Gen Z is one of the most informed, confident, and caring because they've seen what happened to millennials before them," Space said in an interview with Newsweek magazine.

A view of Generation Z as a "toxic" generation has a right to life. But this may be due to a misunderstanding of the period in which they entered the labor market and what they had to go through before that.

It was a period of rapid technological advancement, a boom in social media, and a consequent shift in social values. This was also the case during the COVID-19 pandemic when companies switched to remote work and changed their approach to training to train new employees.

"Their expectations of transparency, inclusiveness and focus are often misinterpreted. They are seen as a right to benefits or unreliability," HR specialists comment.

The portrayal of Gen Z as toxic and "least reliable" for jobs is not only unfair, but it also fails to take into account the broader context of the evolution of jobs and the labor market. Importantly, it also reflects the potential inability of employers to meet the needs of their Z-employees. Accepting that fact can unlock the enormous potential of these workers.

Instead of complaining about the younger generation, employers should reflect on the fact that Generation Z may be a new chance for them. There are better/different views on work efficiency and perhaps these people will bring the necessary changes for employers.

In the Ukrainian realities, in the context of a shortage of personnel in the labor market, employers may not face the question of choice. However, understanding that GEN Z needs not only to adapt to your corporate culture, but also to create an environment in which these young employees can best show their potential will bring benefits in the future.