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Gen Z in the Workplace | Munk Debates

September 5, 2023

Gen Z in the Workplace

Be it Resolved, Gen Z is unemployable.

Guests
Craig Sneesby
Jake Bjorseth

About this episode

Bare-Minimum Mondays. Quiet Quitting. Lazy Girl Job. Ask a Boomer or Gen Xer about their younger employee, and they might point to these viral tik tok slogans as how they see their new coworkers. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z is the latest cohort to enter the workforce. They are criticized for wanting it all - work-life balance, high pay, great benefits - and wanting it right away. They expect their work assignments to align with their ideological goals, they aren’t afraid to call out senior coworkers for creating a toxic workplace, they complain constantly about burnout, and if their demands aren’t met, they are happy to quit (sometimes very publicly). Exasperated employers argue that seniority and pay is earned through years of hard work, long hours, and loyalty to the company. In their view, Gen Z are entitled, lazy, and in for a rude awakening. Zoomers, on the other hand, paint a different story. They are entering the workforce in a period of crushing student loan debt, growing wealth inequality, and wage stagnation. The traditional labor market that benefited boomers does not work for them. Unlike their parents, they want to enjoy a home life instead of bragging about 80-hour work weeks. And they want to feel passionate and engaged about how they spend the majority of their waking hours. To Gen Z, it is the older generation that have been living - nay, existing - in an unhealthy and unequal capitalist market place, and it's high time things change, lest companies will be left without young workers and the ability to adapt and flourish in a rapidly changing economy.

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Guests

Craig Sneesby

“There's got to be a level of respect for those who are actually are paying the wages and trying to create an enjoyable workplace for everyone.”

Craig Sneesby

“There's got to be a level of respect for those who are actually are paying the wages and trying to create an enjoyable workplace for everyone.”

Craig Sneesby is the Managing Director of u&u Recruitment Partners and leads a team of over 700 staff and contractors across Australia & The UK. In 2019 u&u was acquired by WILL Group, a Japanese listed international leader in the staffing industry. Craig remains a Director and maintains full oversight of all financial and commercial functions along with client relationship management, public relations, marketing, and operational management.
Craig has close to 25 years’ experience within the Australian & International recruitment markets initially commencing his career within Morgan & Banks Ltd before he became one of the longest standing Executive General Managers of ASX listed Talent2 International. Throughout his career Craig has passionately and
proudly led teams to appoint more than 200,000 professionals into a wide range of global organisations. Craig remains a trusted advisor to many media outlets for employment insights.

Jake Bjorseth

“What I know to be true and what all of my fellow Gen Z know to be true is that this is the most talented generation yet.“

Jake Bjorseth

“What I know to be true and what all of my fellow Gen Z know to be true is that this is the most talented generation yet.“

Jake Bjorseth is a youth activist, entrepreneur, and speaker. Jake is the founder and CEO of Trndsttrs, a Gen Z agency helping brands understand and reach Gen Z. In his role as CEO, Jake leads a team of 25+ across their Kansas City, San Diego, and Manila, Philippines offices. Trndsttrs' client portfolio includes the likes of McDonald's, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, PacSun, The North Face, California Public Utilities Commission, Los Angeles Unified School District, and more...

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