Gen Z communicates differently in the workplace, but older colleagues can still decode them

Young workers often share values with older colleagues, but the environment where they learned about workplace behavior is different. Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash, CC BY

For all the talk about generational differences at work, some of the biggest differences show up in surprisingly ordinary moments.

Take being late for work. A Gen Z employee in her 20s I spoke with works at a small, locally owned café and restaurant run by an older Gen X owner. When she realized she was going to be late one day, she texted him. He was frustrated. To him, being late was serious enough to warrant a phone call, and a text felt too casual and impersonal.