Gen Z Colleagues Are Annoyed By You—Probably—For 4 Reasons

My previous stories at Forbes.com have shown that Gen Z are getting flak for their inability to collaborate and communicate. Many Gen Zs, feeling misunderstood and vilified, have gotten a bum rap from other generations and business leaders. Hiring managers claim Gen Zers are the worst to work with and manage. I have written about Avery Morgan’s tips that Gen Z need to follow to fit in and succeed in the traditional workplace. But there are changes companies can make as well to reshape old practices for Gen Z to thrive. Half of the younger generation admits they are facing a new challenge. Gen Z colleagues are annoyed by traditional irritating workplace jargon.

Why Gen Z Colleagues Are Annoyed By You—Maybe

Gen Z colleagues might be annoyed by you, and if you’re a seasoned employee, chances are you’re annoyed by them, too. Obviously, a communication barrier exists in the workplace between the generations. Gen Z’s desire for immediate feedback and flexible work environments often clashes with traditional practices. Other research explains it as Gen Zers bringing a “brat” culture—a different mindset to the workplace, challenging common stereotypes associated with their generation and remaining true to their values in both their career and learning journeys.

While Gen Z mock corporate slang on TikTok, they bring their own “brat culture” jargon to work. To understand their younger colleagues, Boomers and Gen X have been googling “Gen Z dictionary,” with searches of the Gen Z “terms of endearment” up +55% this month alone.

Communicating To Gen Z Without Sounding Fake

The communication barrier isn’t just awkward—it’s killing productivity, according to Avery Morgan, chief human resources officer at EduBirdie. She shared with me four tips to help established teams understand their younger colleagues, close the gap and connect with Gen Z authentically without the corporate fluff.

1. Cut the corporate talk. Seriously. Morgan suggests skipping what she calls the “synergy” and “ducks in a row” nonsense. “Believe me, Gen Z is sick of it (and they’re not the only ones),” she argues. “Straightforward, no-frills communication respects people’s time and keeps the office cringe-free. Morgan offers as an example, “Instead of saying, ‘Let’s circle back,’ try, ‘Can we discuss this tomorrow?’ And why say ‘touch base’ instead of ‘chat’ or ‘Let’s table this’ instead of ‘postpone?’” Morgan insists that buzzwords feel like corporate cosplay—a performance art in which people wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character from various sources—to Gen Z and creates unnecessary barriers, especially in multicultural teams. Keep it simple, she advises, so no one has to decode your message like it’s a riddle.
2. Show your human side. “Sincerity is valued much more by Gen-Z than polished facades,” Morgan explains. “Always aim to add a personal touch to your communication to remind them that there is a genuine person behind the email or Slack chat. Use conversational language where appropriate, like ‘Hey, great job on that report!’ instead of ‘Your output meets expectations.’” Morgan calls it “acknowledging the person behind the screen” and says you can do it with a quick, genuine opener like, “Hope you’re having a productive week,” which works better than “Please submit the report by EOD.” No one wants to speak to a robot, Morgan instructs, so don’t act like one. “Being real does not imply oversharing or becoming overly casual if that is your main concern,” she notes. “Find a balance by recognizing their efforts, remaining genuine, and setting boundaries.”
3. Don’t overcompensate—stay authentic. “While it’s encouraged to speak with Gen-Z at their level, please don’t push it too hard,” Morgan advises. “Trying to match Gen Z’s vibe can backfire. Don’t start sprinkling TikTok references into your emails unless that’s naturally your thing. They’ll see right through it, and it’ll appear performative. Authenticity is about being consistent and transparent, not trendy. If you don’t know what they mean by a slang term, ask instead of pretending to know.”
4. Value their input, but avoid micromanaging. “Gen Z like to work autonomously and thrive when their ideas are heard,” Morgan states. “Therefore, the top-down approach won’t work with them. Try to involve them in decision-making whenever possible. Instead of dictating tasks, ask for their perspective, like ‘How would you approach this?’ Set clear goals, then trust them to take it from there. When giving feedback, frame it as a collaboration rather than a correction. Make sure they feel supported, not just handed responsibility. Acknowledge their effort with specifics—’Your insights made a big difference in this presentation’—to build trust and motivation.”

A Wrap On Gen Z Colleagues Are Annoyed By You

Yes, Gen Z colleagues are annoyed that they are stereotyped as lazy, unmotivated, difficult and unreliable. And their values and career needs—instead of considered as different—are judged as inferior to established generations. Andrew Roth, founder and CEO of dcdx, told me that it’s not that Gen Zs don’t care about professionalism. They simply want to be met halfway and receive the same level of respect they give to their employers. Perhaps that’s the ticket to the communication barrier: that employers, seasoned employees and their younger colleagues can meet in the middle.