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Challenging Stereotypes: Gen Z Workers Are More Than Just a Label
Stereotypes about Gen Z workers are prevalent, with some high-profile figures making bold claims. Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster once described Gen Z workers on the set of True Detective as "really annoying," while Whoopi Goldberg suggested that they "only want to work four hours" yet expect to live in comfort. These comments reflect a common narrative that Gen Z is lazy or disengaged. However, not everyone shares this view, and many leaders in the corporate world are challenging these stereotypes.
Sally Massey, the chief human resources officer at Colgate-Palmolive, has taken a different stance. She believes that Gen Z employees bring valuable qualities such as ambition and technological expertise. As a leader in a $62 billion company, she recognizes the importance of attracting talent that can adapt to the fast-paced digital world.
“Gen Z has grown up with technology,” Massey said. “They’ve grown up in a very different way than some of the other generations in the organization. They bring with them new ideas, new perspectives, curiosity. They’re pushing us to get better and to do things differently—I think it’s great.”
Massey acknowledges that Gen Z brings unique expectations and perspectives to the workplace. With 34,000 employees spanning four generations, bridging the generational gap is no small task. To address this, Colgate is rethinking its traditional hierarchy. The company is encouraging open communication between senior leaders and entry-level staff, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued.
“We’re not siloed by generation or tenure; the senior leaders at Colgate want to hear ideas and thoughts from the more junior employees,” Massey explained. “It’s how we get better, because as you get more senior, you can get further away. So it’s important for all of us to stay close, connected, and to learn from each other—regardless of the role.”
Tech-Savvy Talent and the Future of Work
Massey isn’t alone in her belief that Gen Z has much to offer. Many employers are actively seeking out young talent with strong tech skills. Emily Glassberg Sands, head of data and AI at Stripe, has been hiring recent graduates, particularly those with advanced degrees. She credits Gen Z for their cutting-edge skills and fresh ideas.
“I’m actually hiring more new grads—now, they’re largely new grad PhDs—but more new grads than ever before,” Glassberg Sands said. “Because they have the cutting-edge skills, and they come in with fresh ideas, and they know how to think, and they know how to use the latest tools.”
Even when young employees challenge their bosses, CEOs are finding value in their unconventional approaches. Matt Huang, cofounder of Paradigm, a $12 billion crypto investment firm, has embraced Gen Z’s unorthodox methods. The company’s first hire, Charlie Noyes, was a 19-year-old college dropout who showed up five hours late for his first meeting. Despite this, he proved to be a valuable asset.
Huang also highlighted how the company discovered its chief technology officer, Georgios Konstantopoulos, while he was still a teenager on a Discord server. While Gen Z workers may create chaos at times, Huang sees the potential for groundbreaking results.
“They create an absurd amount of chaos sometimes, and you want to pull your hair out,” Huang said. “But then you see what they can do and it’s like, holy crap. Nobody else in the world could do that.”
Business Leaders and Educators Stand Up for Gen Z
Seasoned business experts are also defending Gen Z against negative stereotypes. Suzy Welch, a professor at New York University, challenged the idea that Gen Z is lazy. She pointed out that the generation faces economic challenges that previous generations did not.
“Gen Z has no reason to believe that they’re ever going to have economic security,” Welch said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m old enough that when I was in college, I thought, ‘For sure, I’m going to have more money than my parents.’ And that ‘if I work very very hard, I’m going to buy a house someday,’ and this was the assumption.”
Mel Robbins, a podcaster and former CNN legal analyst, also spoke out against the stereotypes surrounding Gen Z. She emphasized the immense pressure and stress that young people face today, which is vastly different from the experiences of previous generations.
“The world is in chaos—and most twentysomethings had parents that lived in a very predictable, stable economy,” Robbins said. “They went to a corporate job, they reported to the office, they had a network of friends at work. That’s not the typical 20-year-old experience.”