In our recent discussion, Marcia Homer offered a refreshingly practical perspective on what Gen Z needs from today’s leaders and how organizations can adapt. As the co-author of Play the Game: Insider Strategies to Thrive in Your Early Career Without Compromising Ambition, Values, and Well-Being, Marcia brings decades of HR experience and a sharp, compassionate eye to what younger workers want and what the rest of us might be getting wrong.
If your first instinct is to label Gen Z as “lazy,” Marcia challenges you to dig deeper.
“It’s not that they don’t want to work,” she told me. “It’s that they want to work differently. They want purpose, they want flexibility, and they want to be seen, not just supervised.”
This generation isn’t looking for a free pass. They’re looking for meaningful contribution. And while many leaders may roll their eyes at questions younger employees ask about workload, impact, and mental health, Marcia sees these questions as an opportunity. “They’re asking what we never thought we had the right to ask,” she said. “And that’s not entitlement. That’s courage.”
Understanding the Generational Divide
Before we can bridge the gap, though, we have to understand where the differences come from. Marcia, a proud Gen Xer, paints a vivid picture of what shaped her generation: latchkey childhoods, self-reliance, and an ingrained “suck it up” mentality.
“We chose our own leaders, fought our bullies — or ran from them,” she said. “We figured out fight or flight early on. And we didn’t bring our emotions to work. That wasn’t professional.”
Contrast that with Gen Z: a cohort raised with structured playdates, constant supervision, and digital connectivity since birth. They’re globally aware and emotionally attuned but often show up in workplaces led by Gen X managers who were taught to leave feelings at the door. That clash of values can create real tension.
But it doesn’t have to.
“There’s work to be done on both sides,” Marcia said. “Gen Xers feel like they have to change everything. But the truth is, we all need to adjust how we’re communicating.”
Communication Is the Strategy
Again and again, our conversation returned to a central truth: communication isn’t just one tool among many—it is the tool.
You can have the best mental health benefits and the slickest employee programs, but if your communication style doesn’t connect, your efforts will fall flat. Marcia encourages leaders to adopt what she calls “non-judgmental curiosity.”
“If a Gen Z employee says something that sounds off to you, don’t roll your eyes,” she said. “Just pause and ask, ‘What’s going on in your world that made you ask that?’ They’re not a problem to fix. They’re a colleague with a different perspective.”
That curiosity extends to feedback as well. Gen Z wants it often and in real time. “Feedback is a two-way street for them,” Marcia said. “They want to know how they’re doing, and they’re not afraid to ask. In fact, some check in with their managers multiple times a day.”
If that sounds exhausting, Marcia advises managers to set expectations early. How often will you give feedback? In what format? Clarity is kindness. When both parties know the rules of engagement, everyone wins.
Mentorship, Not Micromanagement
Despite the stereotype, Gen Z isn’t afraid of hard work. They just want to know it matters. They want growth over grind and purpose over burnout. For leaders, that means shifting how we talk about career development.
“Not every promotion is just a title and a raise,” Marcia reminded me. “Stretch assignments, cross-functional teams, skill-building — all of these can contribute to a meaningful career path.”
Her advice for managers? Be specific. Define what success looks like. Be clear about promotion timelines and transparent about what skills need to be developed. Then look for small, high-impact ways to get them involved. Gen Z employees want to contribute. They just need help connecting their daily tasks to the bigger picture.
Lean Into Their Strengths
While some leaders feel overwhelmed by what they see as Gen Z’s demands, Marcia sees potential, and even energy, if we’re willing to lean in.
“They’ve been hustling their whole lives,” she said. “They’ve got four or five apps open at once, they adapt quickly, and they’ve grown up digital. Instead of being frustrated, we should be learning from them.”
She shared her own example: “I didn’t know how to use ChatGPT until a Gen Z colleague sat down with me. Now I can’t stop using it.”
Their curiosity is contagious, their drive is real, and their perspective can be transformative, if we make space for it.
What Leaders Should Do Now
As we look toward 2030, Gen Z will make up a growing portion of the workforce. Marcia’s message to leaders: “Have the courage to ask them what they need. Have the courage to see that they want to change the world. And then help them do it. But also help them slow down. Help them learn the environment. Teach them how decisions get made.”
Marcia emphasizes the importance of delivering clear, consistent messages across multiple channels while empowering managers to tailor those messages for their teams.
“And most of all,” she said, “it’s about building psychological safety. Because when people feel safe, they stay engaged.”
Final Takeaway
At the end of our conversation, Marcia offered a powerful reminder: “You don’t need a new HR program. You need a better conversation.”
And here’s some good news: we all know how to have conversations. We just need to approach them with patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn. Gen Z isn’t a problem to solve. They’re a generation ready to lead. And if we listen well, we’ll all be better for it.
To learn more about Marcia’s work or access resources for engaging Gen Z in the workplace, visit GenZWorkplaceFixes.com.
Brandon Laws is a workplace culture and leadership enthusiast, host of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, and VP of Marketing and Product at Xenium HR.