What Leaders Should Expect from Millennials and Gen Z in the Workforce Over the Next Five Years
A client recently asked me something that got me thinking: What do younger generations really need to know—or be prepared for—as today’s workplace keeps shifting beneath our feet?
It’s a good question. And honestly, it’s not just about what Millennials and Gen Z need to learn. It’s also about what the rest of us, especially leaders, need to understand about them.
As someone who regularly coaches Gen X and Millennial leaders who manage Millennial and Gen Z employees, I see both the friction points and the opportunities. What’s clear is that these two younger generations entered the workforce during wildly disruptive times: the 2008 crash for older Millennials, the pandemic for Gen Z. It shaped them. And as we look ahead, one thing is obvious. The next five years will bring even more change. AI is advancing fast, return-to-office debates are heating up, and expectations around work-life boundaries are shifting.
If you lead these generations, or work alongside them, here’s what to expect and how to be ready.
The Shared Challenge: Disengagement Is Quietly Spreading
Let’s be real. Disengagement is creeping in everywhere. Not just among Gen Z or Millennials, but across the board. The nonstop pace and the “urgent everything” culture is wearing people down.
But here’s what’s tricky. This disengagement doesn’t always look like classic burnout. It shows up more like checking out or quiet quitting. And that’s because when the brain doesn’t get stability or a clear story to follow — the result of changing priorities, impossible deadlines, and no time to recover — the brain self-protects. It pulls back energy and engagement as a defense mechanism.
And once an employee hits that mode of "they push me too hard and don’t care about my well-being, so I need to protect myself to survive," leaders have to work twice as hard to regain trust and buy-in.
So what can you do?
Set realistic deadlines: Assume your team gets four to five hours of true focused work a day, not eight. Slack, emails, meetings, and surprise "quick requests" all chip away. Plan around this, and your team will actually get more done… not less.
Build in recovery time: After big pushes, let people reset. Nature does this. Trees grow, drop their leaves, rest, and then start again. In the Pacific Northwest, we call periods between summer and winter sports the "shoulder season." Your team needs its own shoulder season between busy cycles.
Communicate priority shifts clearly: If priorities change (and they will), tell your team what has moved down the list. Spell it out. Don’t make them guess what matters now. It saves everyone stress and energy.
Understand growth goals: The past twenty years have been full of upheaval: financial crises, a global pandemic, and constant change. Most Millennials and Gen Zers have realized that a secure retirement is not guaranteed. This has shifted mindsets. Many now work to live, not live to work. They are less interested in climbing the corporate ladder for its own sake. Once they reach a role where they feel financially stable, they may be content to stay there. As a leader, take time to understand what motivates your team members. Don’t assume they want more responsibility or the next promotion. When you respect their personal career goals, they are more likely to stay engaged and productive without feeling pressured or fearful about advancement they may not want.
The Gen Z Reality: Learning How to "Adult" at Work in Person
Here’s the truth about many Gen Z employees. They’ve never really worked in a traditional office. Some finished college entirely on Zoom. No watercooler chats. No observing body language in a real meeting room. No casual "Hey, can I run something by you?" moments.
As a result, they are missing some of the soft skills we once took for granted. This isn’t a failure. It’s just a gap that needs to be filled.
What Gen Z needs to learn:
Office Presence and Professional Communication
Eye contact, posture, active listening. These subtle signals matter in person. And without practice, they don’t come naturally.How to help:
Run soft-skills workshops.
Set clear expectations for meeting behavior.
Create safe spaces for role-playing presentations or client chats.
Pair them with mentors who model these skills.
Choosing the Right Communication Channel
When do you Slack? When is email better? When does something deserve a real conversation? These decisions shape how others see them.How to help:
Provide a “Slack vs. Email vs. Meeting” guide.
Encourage them to pause and ask, "Is this the right way to deliver this message?"
Give gentle feedback when they get it wrong. It’s part of the learning curve.
Redefining Work-Life Balance
Returning to the office changes the math. Commutes and in-office expectations are all new territory. They’ll need guidance on setting healthy boundaries while still showing up.Presenting Without a Screen
Zoom lets you cheat with notes offscreen or prompts in the background. In person, it’s about presence, memorization, and confidence. This will take practice.
Remember this: Gen Z isn’t lazy. They have boundaries, they communicate differently, and they want to do well. They just need coaching to translate their skills into this new environment.
The Millennial Reality: Wary of AI, But They Can’t Ignore It
Millennials are in a strange spot. They are experienced. They have seen change. But they are also adjusting to AI, and some are hesitating. They wonder, "Will this replace me? Will it kill creativity? Is it just a shortcut for people who don’t want to think deeply anymore?"
Some caution is smart. But total avoidance is not helpful.
Here’s what Millennials need to remember:
AI is a tool, not a threat.
Used well, AI saves time on drafts, outlines, and routine tasks. But the strategic thinking, judgement, and incorporation of situational and historical knowledge, that is all human…. And all yours.Try this:
"Give me a rough outline for this proposal. Here are the key considerations and the audience that needs to be considered."
"Make this email more direct and clear. Ensure these three points are included, and the reader walks away understanding ___."Then layer on your insight and creativity.
Don’t let efficiency kill engagement or motivation.
AI makes things faster. But don’t outsource everything, or you’ll get bored and rusty. Use AI to get you started and for final polishing, but continue to use your brain and think strategically about the substance in front of you. Consider using AI to automate the parts of tasks that drain you, while fueling the tasks that motivate you.Refresh your live presentation and communication skills.
Millennials got used to remote work, too. Don’t forget how to speak clearly and confidently, lead meetings and engage those in the room, and show presence when face-to-face.Protect creativity.
Studies like those from Wharton and MIT show that AI-produced work is faster but often duller and less original. If everything you turn in feels like it came from a bot, you’ll blend in, not stand out. Like all new tools, take time to learn and understand AI, and how to more effectively use prompts to your advantage.
A Shared Truth: How You Show Up Still Matters
Whether you’re Gen Z, Millennial, or anyone else, how you present yourself makes a difference. People notice. Leaders notice.
Want to move up? Look at those a level ahead of you. How do they speak? How do they carry stress? How do they dress? How do they make others feel in a room?
Tone, posture, curiosity, communication style, and effort. These little things open doors.
For Leaders Managing Gen Z and Millennials
If you lead these generations, this is your moment to set the tone. You can guide them toward stronger skills, sharper thinking, and greater confidence.
Consider:
Offering soft skills and communication training. If higher touch is needed, offer coaching through a third party to help them grow more efficiently and effectively.
Setting clear norms for when and how to work remotely versus in person.
Talking openly about AI: what it’s for, what it’s not.
Encouraging creativity even when tools make fast work possible.
The workplace will keep changing. But the leaders who lean in, who teach, guide, and prepare, will build the teams that thrive.
Need support? At Conshy Coaching, I offer personalized team training and 1:1 coaching to help leaders navigate workplace challenges while also better managing their time, stress, and energy. Learn more about my offerings at conshycoaching.com.
