Navigating Gen Z in the Workforce

From One Gen X Leader to Another: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t, and How to Lead Without Losing Your Mind

When I entered the healthcare workforce in the late 1990s, the unspoken rule was simple: check your personal life at the door. We didn’t bring our whole selves to work, and any mention of family or mental health was considered “oversharing.”

We were expected to be professional, not personal. Efficient, not emotional. And vulnerable? Only in the break room, if ever.

But today, the tide is shifting. Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) now outnumbers Baby Boomers in the workforce, and they’re not just showing up as their work selves. They’re showing up as their whole selves.

For those of us in Gen X (born 1965 to 1980), that shift can feel jarring. We’ve had to adapt, not just as leaders but as humans who were taught to survive a system that’s now being actively questioned. What follows is my own reflection – honest, imperfect and grounded in real stories – about what it takes to lead across generations in healthcare today.

Even if you’re not part of Gen X or Gen Z, chances are you’re working alongside them or leading them and navigating the same cultural shift toward more human, emotionally intelligent leadership while ensuring the highest quality of care for patients.

A Mirror Moment: How We Were Trained to Lead

Before we get into Gen Z, let’s talk about us. Gen X leaders didn’t just end up wired the way we are. We were shaped by pager culture, 12-hour shifts, and unspoken expectations that if we wanted to lead, we needed to grind, produce and keep our personal lives invisible.

We learned leadership from people who led with distance. They didn’t ask about our families. They didn’t praise often. They rewarded loyalty and compliance. And in many cases, they were just surviving, too.

So if Gen Z feels foreign to us, that’s not because something is wrong with them. It’s because we’re still unlearning what we were taught: that authority means control, and that compassion should be reserved for patients, not peers.

What’s happening now isn’t a generational conflict. It’s a cultural correction.

The leaders we need to become aren’t louder or stricter or more efficient. They’re more human. And that can feel deeply uncomfortable, even weak or unfamiliar. Especially if no one ever modeled it for you.

Bringing Their Whole Selves to Work

Gen Z providers are not checking their personal lives at the door. They’re bringing in their identities, passions, mental health challenges, creative side hustles and even the occasional TikTok reference. They want to be seen as full people, not just job titles.

At first, that felt like a disruption. But now? I see it as a strength.

In my early days as a manager, I expected people to compartmentalize. Patients first, everything else second. But over time, I learned that healthcare is inherently human. If we want our teams to deliver compassionate, safe care, we have to create space for them to be fully human, too.

And the research agrees. When healthcare professionals feel psychologically safe – meaning they can speak up, show up and be honest – patient outcomes improve significantly.¹

I once had a Gen Z tech tell me, in a hushed tone, that her father had passed away the night before. She didn’t want to say anything earlier because “we don’t do that here.” That hit me hard. How many others were silently struggling? How many had no idea it was okay to just… be a person?

Healthcare is human work. If we don’t allow space for humanity, we’re setting our teams and our patients up for failure.

Try this: Start your next team huddle with by asking, “What’s one word for how you’re doing today?” You’ll be surprised how often that opens the door to trust.

Disruption Isn’t the Enemy

Gen Z gets labeled as disruptive, and honestly? Good. Healthcare needs disruption. Disruption isn’t the enemy. This generation questions everything:

• Why do we do it that way?
• What if we did it differently?
• Why are we still using a paper form?

According to the 2023 Deloitte Global survey, 67% of Gen Z workers say they want to work for companies that value innovation and flexibility.² That’s not a problem. That’s potential.

One of my favorite examples: a 23-year-old tech asked why we still had to handwrite certain notes. I could’ve brushed him off, but instead I asked, “What would you do differently?” He created a simple digital form that integrated with our electronic health record (EHR). After piloting the form, our charting times dropped by 30%.

That’s the power of giving disruption a seat at the table.

Try this: Next time someone questions a process, resist the urge to defend it. Say, “Tell me more.” You don’t have to agree, but you do have to listen.

Redefining Work-Life Boundaries

This one’s personal. We missed birthdays, holidays, weddings and milestones because we believed being available 24/7 was noble. We stayed late to prove we cared. We silently burned out because asking for balance felt like weakness.

Gen Z saw all of that. And they’re saying, “No thanks.”

They’re not lazy. They’re clear. They value being present at home and at work. They know that burnout is bad is not only for providers but also for patients.

A recent study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that work-life balance is a key predictor of mental health outcomes in Gen Z healthcare workers.³ When they feel out of balance, their emotional resilience and clinical performance take a hit.

A Gen Z teammate once asked to switch shifts for her brother’s wedding. My first thought? “I would have never dared to ask for that.” My second thought? “I wish I had.”

We made it work. She came back energized, grateful, more connected to the team, and prepared to provide excellent patient care. Recognizing and confidently expressing your needs, especially in a challenging environment, is a hallmark of emotional intelligence.

There’s a difference between flexibility and chaos. Gen Z isn’t asking for unlimited paid time off and zero accountability. They’re asking to be included in the conversation about when and how they work. And that conversation isn’t optional anymore.

The COVID era changed how we view work. Many Gen Z professionals entered the workforce remotely or in hybrid environments. Now, being asked to come into a hospital or clinic with rigid schedules and no input on their time feels unnecessarily harsh, even if it’s standard for the rest of us.

Try this: When building a schedule or assigning shifts, include language like: “Let me know if this causes any major conflicts. We’ll do our best to adjust within reason.” This makes a difference because it keeps structure intact but shows you're open to human reality.

Communication Isn’t Common Sense

I once got an email from a Gen Z nurse that just said, “Can I switch Tuesday?” No greeting, no punctuation.

My Gen X brain almost combusted.But after talking with her, I realized she wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. She was trying to be efficient. For her, the request was polite, but I come from a different perspective. .

Generational communication clashes are one of the most common points of workplace friction.⁴ What we see as “tone,” they see as “extra.” What we call “rude,” they call “normal.”

We can’t just roll our eyes and say, “They should know better.” We also have to ask ourselves: Are we willing to meet them halfway?

Try this: Be explicit about communication expectations. “I appreciate a quick greeting in emails. It helps me feel connected.” You’re not being picky. You’re teaching culture.

It’s Not About Entitlement. It’s About Expectations.

Let’s pause and talk about the E-word and clear up a common misconception: Gen Z is not entitled. They just have different expectations about how work should feel, and what leadership should look like:

• They expect mental health to be prioritized.
• They expect feedback to be direct and kind.
• They expect racism, sexism, and toxic power dynamics to be addressed, not ignored.
• They expect growth opportunities, not just tasks.

And to be fair, can you blame them?

What we often label as “entitlement” is really a discomfort with the fact that they’re asking for things we didn’t feel allowed to want. It’s not about them asking for too much. It’s about us learning to ask for more, too.

If we listen without defensiveness, Gen Z may actually help us reconnect with our own unmet needs.

Try this: Next time you feel that inner eye-roll coming on, ask yourself, “Am I reacting to their request or to the fact that I never would have made it myself?”

Rethinking Loyalty

This part might sting. Gen Z is not going to stay out of obligation.

They grew up watching companies lay off loyal employees, glorify hustle culture, and offer burnout in exchange for pizza parties. They won’t accept that treatment because they can find better options.

According to Gallup, losing an employee costs 1.5 to 2 times their annual salary.⁵ And in healthcare, the cost isn’t just financialm – it’s personal. Continuity of care suffers, morale drops, and teams fracture.

Forbes reports that more than 20% of Gen Z healthcare workers are considering leaving the industry altogether,⁶ not to try something new but to escape something broken.

We can’t guilt them into staying. Instead, we have to give them motivation to stay.

Try this: Instead of “retention strategies,” try real conversations. Ask:

• What keeps you here?
• What frustrates you?
• What would make this a place you want to stay?

And then, do something about it.

Mentorship Looks Different Now

They don’t want a sage on a stage. They want a human in the room.

Gen Z isn’t looking for someone to lecture them into excellence. They want someone who’s been through it, who remembers what it felt like to be new, and who’s willing to share the real story, not just the polished version.

The best mentorship moments I’ve had lately haven’t come from structured sessions. They’ve come from hallway chats and honest stories about failures in your career and how you overcame them. This not only builds your trust and connection with your staff but also provides team members with practical solutions.

They want to know what you wish someone had told you. They want help navigating not just clinical work, but emotional labor, team dynamics and boundaries. They want someone who sees their potential and communicates with compassion.

Try this:

• Start a “Lessons I Learned the Hard Way” lunch series with your team.
• Invite a Gen Z staff member to help solve a real problem then debrief together afterward.
• Share a story from a time you struggled or failed and what you’d do differently now.

Mentorship isn’t about downloading knowledge. It’s about building a bridge.

Final Takeaway: Lead With Curiosity, Not Comparison

We don’t need to make Gen Z more like us.We need to meet them where they are. We bring experience, perspective and resilience. They bring energy, clarity and boundaries.

Together, we can build teams that are healthier, more inclusive and better for everyone – patients included.

So next time your Gen Z teammate asks a bold question or pushes back on the status quo, take a breath and ask yourself: What if this isn’t resistance?What if this is leadership in the making?

Quick Takeaways

✅ Lead with curiosity, not control.
✅ Make space for humanity – yours and theirs.
✅ Stop equating burnout with dedication.
✅ Model communication. Don’t just demand it.
✅ Treat mentorship as a relationship, not a transaction.

Remember: They’re not here to be mini versions of us. They’re here to help us build something better.

References

Edmondson AC. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. HBS.edu. Published 2018. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54851.
Deloitte. Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey. Published 2023. Accessed August 1, 2025. Deloitte.com. https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-shared/docs/campaigns/2025/2025-genz-millennial-survey.pdf
³ Adedeji A, Langel C, Feick A, et al., et al. Work-life balance and mental health outcomes for Generation Z in Germany. J Occup Environ Med. 2023;65(12):987-991.
⁴ Brigham T. Mind the (Gen) Gap: Communication Tips for Gen Z and Everyone Else. Forbes.com November 26, 2024. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tessbrigham/2024/11/26/mind-the-gen-gap-communication-tips-for-gen-z-and-everyone-else/.
⁵ Gallup. 42% of Employee Turnover Is Preventable but Often Ignored. Gallup.com. Published July 10, 2024. Accessed August 14, 2025. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/646538/employee-turnover-preventable-often-ignored.aspx.
⁶ Westfall C. 1 in 5 Gen Z Healthcare Workers Are Considering Leaving the Industry. Forbes.com. Published December 6, 2024. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2024/12/06/1-in-5-gen-z-healthcare-workers-are-considering-leaving-the-industry/.