By: Syed Waqar Akbar
I was raised in the era of landlines, handwritten notes, and patiently waiting for things to happen. Mine is the generation that learned resilience before it learned convenience. Today, I engage daily with Gen Z, a generation born into speed, screens, and constant connectivity.
And yes, there is a generation gap.
Not a problem. A reality.
Before we judge, let’s understand the landscape.
A Quick Snapshot of Generations
· Millennials (Gen Y 1981–1996)
The bridge generation. We witnessed the shift from analog to digital. We value growth, purpose, and work-life balance, but we were still taught to “stay quiet, work hard, and wait your turn.”
· Gen Z (1997–2012)
The reset generation. They question everything authority, systems, traditions. They are fast learners, digitally fluent, emotionally expressive, and unapologetic about boundaries. They don’t just want jobs; they want meaning.
· Gen Alpha (2013 onward)
The AI-native generation. Touchscreens before textbooks. Voice commands before handwriting. They will redefine intelligence, learning, and creativity in ways we can’t fully imagine yet.
· The “Next” Generation (often called Gen Beta or beyond)
Likely to grow up in a world where physical and digital realities fully merge. Human skills empathy, ethics, adaptability will matter more than ever.
Understanding Gen Z: Not Difficult, Just Different
Gen Z is often labeled as impatient, too sensitive, or entitled.
But look closer.
They are:
· Purpose-driven rather than title-driven
· Outcome-focused rather than time-bound
· Emotionally aware in a world that ignored mental health for decades
· Brave enough to say “this doesn’t work for me”
They don’t fear change.
They expect it.
Yes, There Is a Gap and That’s Okay
The gap exists because:
· We were taught to adjust; they are taught to question.
· We survived systems; they want to fix them.
Conflict arises when experience refuses to listen, and energy refuses to learn.
What We Must Do as Seniors, Leaders, and Colleagues
Understanding Gen Z is not about lowering standards.
It’s about changing lenses.
We must:
· Listen before correcting
· Coach instead of command
· Explain the “why,” not just the “what”
· Accept that respect today is mutual, not hierarchical
And Yes We Must Also Learn From Them
Let’s be honest. Gen Z is doing some things better:
· They normalize mental health conversations
· They value balance over burnout
· They learn fast, unlearn faster
· They use technology as a tool, not a threat
· They speak up where we stayed silent
Adopting these positive habits doesn’t weaken our experience.
It modernizes it.
The Real Win? Collaboration, Not Comparison
This isn’t a battle of generations.
It’s a handover of wisdom and energy.
If Millennials bring experience and patience,
and Gen Z brings innovation and courage,
together we build workplaces and institutions that actually evolve.
The future doesn’t belong to one generation.
It belongs to those who are willing to understand each other.
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