There’s no shortage of headlines about how “demanding” Gen Z can be in the workplace. But when you strip away the noise, their expectations are remarkably reasonable. They want clarity, care, and to work in organisations where culture isn’t just a set of values on a wall.
Through my work with companies across sectors — from global summer centres managing hundreds of Gen Z employees to London-based teams balancing high-pressure environments — it’s clear that Gen Z isn’t disengaged. They’re disengaging from outdated leadership styles.
I’ve seen this first-hand working with Loughborough University’s Students’ Union, NatWest’s intern programmes, UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) young entrepreneurs, and mentoring YPO’s Young Next Generation. When organisations get it right, Gen Z becomes some of the most passionate, productive, and loyal employees you’ll ever find.
So, what do they need from managers right now?
1. Clarity of expectations and regular feedback
One of the most common frustrations I hear from Gen Z employees is, “I’m not sure what’s expected of me.” This isn’t laziness; it’s ambiguity.
When working with sports teams — from the coaches and kit room staff through to the players — I often ask them, “What are you in the business of?” The answer is always immediate and unanimous: “Winning.” Everyone, from the support staff to the star players, knows that their role is to contribute to the team’s success. They understand how their daily tasks — no matter how small — help the team to perform. The vision is clear, the purpose is aligned, and within that, people know exactly how they add value.
When I ask the same question in corporate settings — “What is your team in the business of? What’s the purpose of each person’s role?” — I’m often met with hesitation. Most managers and employees can’t give a clear, concise answer. And if leaders can’t articulate it, how can they expect their teams to back it?
Gallup’s research shows that when employees know what’s expected, feel cared for, and have opportunities to grow, they are three times more likely to stay and 17% more productive. Yet, in many workplaces, expectations are assumed to be “obvious”, and feedback is something saved for annual reviews.
Gen Z thrives on clarity. They want to understand how their role contributes to the bigger picture — not once a year, but through ongoing conversations. However, many managers aren’t trained on how to have these effective, human check-ins. They might have regular one-to-ones, but too often these conversations are purely performance-focused, missing the opportunity to build personal connection. Through our programmes, we equip managers with the skills to lead check-ins that balance task alignment with genuine care — creating a space where team members feel seen, supported, and motivated.
2. A culture of care (beyond wellbeing tokenism)
The days of wellbeing tokenism — free fruit bowls and box-ticking initiatives — are over. Gen Z expects organisations to genuinely care about their people, beyond the surface level.
Harvard Business Review’s analysis of 500,000 employees found that the top reasons people leave jobs are a lack of career development, uncaring leadership, toxic cultures, and poor role fit. Pay is important, but culture is the true differentiator.
In our work, we’ve found that culture shifts meaningfully when managers are equipped with the practical and tangible skills to proactively care for their teams. Through the CPD-accredited manager training sessions we run, we see huge improvements in engagement — whether the managers’ motivation is purely wellbeing-focused or whether their goal is to ensure high performance is sustained over time. Giving managers the tools to care in real, actionable ways — not just theory — creates a ripple effect throughout teams.
Managers don’t need to be therapists, but they do need to lead with empathy. This means creating psychologically safe spaces where employees feel comfortable to speak up, and where managers actively show personal concern and interest in their team’s wellbeing. Small, consistent actions — like checking in on how someone is coping with a busy workload — build a culture of care that goes far beyond formal wellbeing programmes.
3. Transparency is non-negotiable
Gen Z values transparency, not corporate spin. Whether it’s clarity on pay structures, business challenges, or the ‘why’ behind a new process, they expect open, honest communication.
McKinsey found that organisations using Gen Z-preferred communication platforms, such as Slack, Teams, and WhatsApp, increased engagement by up to 30%. However, it’s not just about the technology — it’s about involving employees in shaping the decisions that affect them.
Take Adobe as an example. They crowd-sourced ideas from their younger employees and, in doing so, reduced manual reporting time by 30%. When people are included in the process, they are more engaged in the outcome. Transparency fosters trust, and trust fuels engagement.
4. Growth pathways beyond “manager” roles
Career progression is important to Gen Z, but that doesn’t necessarily mean aspiring to traditional managerial positions. Many want to grow through skills development, meaningful projects, and specialist pathways.
Organisations that successfully retain Gen Z talent offer alternative growth routes — from project leadership opportunities to continuous learning and development programmes. The key is ensuring these pathways are visible, attainable, and not limited to “promotion or bust.” Managers have a critical role in helping individuals navigate these options, providing support and encouragement along the way.
5. Work-life balance that actually balances
Deloitte reports that 94% of Gen Z value work-life balance over climbing the corporate ladder. Yet, Microsoft found that the average employee receives around 270 notifications per day, blurring work-life boundaries and fuelling burnout.
Managers must play an active role in protecting balance. This might involve setting “anchor days” for hybrid teams, safeguarding out-of-hours boundaries, or simplifying workflows to eliminate low-value tasks.
In a 24/7 residential summer centre environment, where we’ve supported hundreds of Gen Z seasonal staff, we’ve seen first-hand how embedding sustainable high performance and wellbeing training for leadership teams significantly reduces wellbeing issues and escalations. Retention rates have noticeably improved as a result. What made a real difference in this context was the visible buy-in from the Team Director, who became a huge advocate for the culture shifts we were driving. Leadership commitment to these practices has a direct correlation with how effectively they cascade through large, fast-paced teams.
A practical exercise I use with teams involves listing their top 5–10 tasks and ranking them in order of importance. Often, the daily workload doesn’t reflect these priorities — and that’s something managers can help to realign. When people feel their time is respected and their work is meaningful, engagement and productivity naturally follow.
Managers are the deal-breakers
Gallup found that 52% of employees who left their jobs said their manager could have done something to prevent it. In a talent market where salary budgets are tightening, human leadership becomes the biggest differentiator.
Leaders who create clarity, foster growth, communicate transparently, and genuinely care will not only attract but also retain the best Gen Z talent.
At Ridgeflow Performance, we help organisations equip their managers with the tools and mindsets to lead engaged, high-performing teams — building cultures where people genuinely want to show up, contribute, and grow.
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About the author:
Khalil Rener is the founder of Ridgeflow Performance and a top-tier leadership consultant, performance coach, and wellbeing expert. With a BSc and MSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University, his work focuses on applying the principles of elite sport to help people and teams thrive at work. Khalil has supported organisations including DP World, Novartis, the NHS, Deloitte, NatWest, Sport England, and many more—from global companies to schools, councils, and frontline teams. His breadth of experience spans industries, team sizes, and career stages, from senior leaders to students and early-career professionals. www.ridgeflowperformance.com
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