Gen Z Keeps Getting Fired: Why 94% of Business Leaders Find Them Challenging To Manage

A recent report indicates that major companies are hesitant to hire Gen Z employees due to concerns about their preparedness for the realities of the workforce.

Most companies are skeptical about GenZ's potential due to their unsatisfactory graduation status, while 6 in 10 companies have records of firing fresh college grads they hired that same year, Fortune reported, citing a survey from Intelligent.com.

There are a multitude of reasons why hiring GenZ looks like biting a bullet. The survey found that 50% of the GenZ workforce lack motivation or initiative as a major issue, while 46% cited unprofessional behavior as a reason for their dissatisfaction.

Also, 38% of respondents said that recent hires had trouble taking constructive criticism, and 39% of respondents said that many grads had trouble communicating effectively. Additionally, 34% of employers expressed worry about graduates' poor problem-solving skills. These results demonstrate the difficulties faced by recent graduates as they enter the workforce.

"Many recent college graduates may struggle with entering the workforce for the first time as it can be a huge contrast from what they are used to throughout their education journey," said Huy Nguyen, Intelligent's Chief Education and Career Development Advisor. "They are often unprepared for a less structured environment, workplace cultural dynamics, and the expectation of autonomous work."

"Although they may have some theoretical knowledge from college, they often lack the practical, real-world experience and soft skills required to succeed in the work environment," Nguyen continued. "These factors, combined with the expectations of seasoned workers, can create challenges for both recent grads and the companies they work for."

Gen Z employees are also gaining a negative reputation for being difficult to work with, prompting complaints from managers within their own generation. Despite their impressive drive, competitive nature, and energetic disposition, they often lack the conviction to advance in their careers compared to previous generations.

The situation has become so concerning that 94% of business leaders are avoiding hiring Gen Z, with 40% believing they are not adequately prepared for work commitments, according to recent research.

Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster took a jibe at GenZ about not turning up at their workplaces before 10:30 a.m. while an MIT interviewer slammed the generation for always "being late." Another employer stirred up a heated debate online after sharing his experience of how a GenZ jobseeker found a 90-minute pre-interview assignment to be a "lot of work."

A recent survey by Resume Genius found that GenZ, by a wide opinion, is the most challenging generation to work with, and the sentiments were echoed by managers of their generation. In contrast, baby boomers were surprisingly voted as the easiest to manage, yet ironically, they are also the least likely to be hired, according to employers.

The survey noted that only 4% of employers plan to hire baby boomers, while millennials lead with 45% of hiring managers intending to recruit from their generation. Despite being considered the most challenging to work with, Gen Z is the second most in-demand group, with 33% of respondents expecting to hire from this generation, Fortune reported.

Gen Z's pandemic-disrupted upbringing has left them ill-prepared for the corporate world, with missed college experiences and summer internships hindering their transition to the workforce. This has triggered many training camps from major employers, including top consulting firms like Deloitte and EY, to provide extra training and help them develop essential soft skills, like effective communication and confidence in meetings.

"It's wholly understandable that students who missed out on face-to-face activities during COVID may now be stronger in certain fields, such as working independently, and less confident in others, such as presentations to groups," Ian Elliott, the chief people officer at PwC UK, said in a statement.