TikTok user @liamhaskett has a message for corporate leaders about what they should expect as Gen Z continues to enter the workforce in full force. According to him, this generation approaches work differently from those before it.
At the time of publication, the video had garnered 1.3 million views and 1,451 comments.
@liamhaskett, whose first name is Liam, says there's something that sets Gen Z apart from previous generations. In the video, he describes younger workers as more "individualistic" and goes on to explain what he means by that.
"When they were growing up, and by they, I mean the C suite, the typical leadership you see in business right now, when they were growing up, loyalty was very, very important, because you could go to one company and stick with one company for three decades, and you know for sure, well, or almost for sure, that you're gonna end up fine," he says.
That kind of security has been missing for quite some time, and according to Liam, Gen Z has felt the impact. While workers 40 years ago may have earned the equivalent of $100,000 today, that hasn't been the reality for many younger adults.
"We grew up watching things get more expensive. We watched our standard of living decrease based on costs. And because of that, we developed a very, very hyper-individualistic mindset," Liam explains.
Having the mindset of "How can I improve my life through a company?" isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it can create a problem when it comes to hiring and employee retention. Liam says employers may struggle to trust that the people they're hiring will stay with the company for the long term.
Still, Liam believes Gen Z's mindset could eventually make its members good leaders, although getting there will take some work. And that's something many younger workers aren't necessarily willing to put in.
"But the reason why they're not willing to do the work is because of that culture where now we're kind of at risk for everything or worried about everything. Why would we put in work to a system that we don't feel like it's rewarding us?" he asks.
TikToker Explains What Sets Gen Z Apart From Previous Generations at Work
The frustration younger workers feel toward traditional workplace expectations was evident in the video's comments. Users complained about everything from promotions and company loyalty to the expectation that employees should dedicate their lives to work.
"Why should we be loyal to $12 an hr," one user questioned.
"They got promoted all the time. Now to get promoted they put you through biblical levels of trials and tribulations," another commenter said.
"There's also a broken hiring psychology of wanting to hire those who least need the job or those that appear less needy. Which begets less retention. If folks hire those more in need of work, they are more likely to be loyal to the company that hired them," another user explained.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made by TikTok creator @liamhaskett, which are based on his opinions shared in the video.
