Flexibility is not the absence of boundaries.
Let’s have an uncomfortable conversation about Gen Z at work.
Not the usual one.
Not:
“Gen Z are lazy.”
Not:
“Gen Z don’t want to work.”
And not:
“Older generations just don’t understand them.”
Because I don’t think any of those explanations are particularly useful.
The more interesting question is:
Are some managers struggling to manage younger employees effectively?
And if they are, is the problem actually Gen Z?
Or is it management?
The expectations gap
CMI published research in July 2026 which found a striking gap between young people’s perception of their workplace readiness and that of managers.
45% of 18–24-year-olds surveyed believed they entered the workforce with the skills needed to succeed.
Only 6% of managers thought young recruits demonstrated those skills to the same extent.
That’s a huge gap.
And it matters.
Because when expectations are different, problems don’t magically disappear.
They become:
- probation issues
- performance issues
- communication problems
- conflict
- frustration
- turnover.
CMI found that managers commonly cited lack of motivation, resilience, workplace behaviour/etiquette and timekeeping among reasons younger employees struggled with progression or probation.
But here’s where I think employers can get this wrong.
The answer isn’t:
“Gen Z needs to learn how work used to be done.”
And it isn’t:
“Managers need to accommodate everything Gen Z asks for.”
It’s management.
CIPD’s current guidance is quite clear that managing young people isn’t necessarily fundamentally different from managing older workers — but younger employees may need additional time and support to learn workplace behaviours, processes, communication and expectations.
That means managers need to teach as well as manage.
Set the boundary early.
If someone joins your organisation and nobody explains:
- what time they are expected to be available
- how quickly they should respond
- what professional communication looks like
- what good performance means
- how meetings work
- when flexibility applies
- what behaviour isn’t acceptable
- how decisions are made
then don’t be surprised when they create their own rules.
People fill gaps in expectations with their own assumptions.
That’s true of Gen Z.
And it’s true of every other generation.
Challenge is not disrespect.
This is another area where managers need confidence.
A young employee might ask:
“Why do we do it this way?”
That’s not necessarily insubordination.
It could be curiosity.
It could be confidence.
It could be a genuinely good question.
But if the answer is:
“Because that’s how we’ve always done it.”
you shouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t convinced.
At the same time, there’s an important boundary.
Asking questions is different from refusing reasonable instructions.
Disagreeing with a decision is different from behaving disrespectfully.
Wanting flexibility is different from ignoring agreed working arrangements.
Managers need to be able to tell the difference.
And that’s where I think HR has a huge role.
Don’t simply tell managers:
“Be more inclusive.”
Tell them what good management actually looks like.
Give them the confidence to say:
“I understand what you’re asking for. Let’s discuss it.”
And also:
“I understand you disagree, but this is the expectation.”
Or:
“I’m happy to give you autonomy, but the outcome still needs to be delivered.”
Or:
“I want to support you, but this behaviour isn’t acceptable.”
That’s not old-fashioned management.
That’s clear management.
Don’t let “employee experience” become “employee entitlement.”
This is the line HR needs to walk carefully.
Employees should have a voice.
They should be listened to.
They should understand their rights.
They should be treated fairly.
But employment is still a relationship.
The organisation has responsibilities.
The employee has responsibilities too.
And if we’re serious about retaining Gen Z, we shouldn’t be afraid to tell them that.
In fact, perhaps the most valuable thing we can give a young employee isn’t unlimited flexibility.
It’s clarity.
Clarity about what success looks like.
Clarity about what is expected.
Clarity about how they can progress.
Clarity about what they can challenge.
And clarity about where the boundaries are.
My view?
Don’t manage Gen Z differently. Manage them properly.
Give them flexibility where it works.
Give them development.
Give them feedback.
Give them autonomy.
Listen to them.
But set expectations.
Hold people accountable.
Address poor behaviour.
Have difficult conversations.
And don’t confuse being a supportive manager with being a manager who never says no.
Because ultimately:
Good management isn’t about controlling people.
It’s about giving people enough freedom to succeed — and enough structure to understand what success looks like.