HR BESTIES - HR Besties: Gen Z Work Culture Clashes

Starting point is 00:00:00 Okay. So I want you all to imagine being in a ballroom full of all of your co-workers, all your colleagues, your boss, your boss's boss, everyone. It's in all hands, okay? You with me? You have a guest speaker. The guest speaker walks in and he's like a mini celebrity at your company, okay? Because he's the founder. Okay? Yes. Crowd, cheering. Everyone's excited.

Starting point is 00:00:34 We haven't heard him speak yet, right? We're excited. We finally get to meet the founder of the company, right? Gets up on stage, presenting, throwing a lot of F bombs. The whole room starts to kind of look around at each other and be like, wow, okay. All right. Well, I mean, me, I'm not approved. Y'all know that.

Starting point is 00:00:57 I cussed like a sailor myself. But in a work setting, I was to take it back. And I could see my co-worker bestie on the other side of the ballroom because we were given the job of holding the mics for people that had questions in the audience because, you know, HR, HR thing. Yeah. That's such an HR job. So I see her. We make eye contact and we're like, what the fuck in our heads?

Starting point is 00:01:23 Like, wow, this is going off the deep end. So he's going on and on, and I'm, like, starting to think, is this man drunk? He's got to be drunk. Like, this is weird. He proceeds to go into a story about how early on in his career, he, like, lost a big deal. And how he dealt with that was he went into his office and then drank an entire bottle of wit vodka and laid in the fetal position on the floor. of his office. Wait, I'm sorry. He drank a bottle of what? Wipped vodka, like whipped cream vodka, which I'm sorry, I've never had in my life. It sounds awful. Like a little bit of vomit.

Starting point is 00:02:06 Yeah, that one, like the type you spray. Like a nitrous. No, no, no, no, not the Cardi B. Whip cream flavored vodka. Yeah. Like whipped cream flavored vodka. I do love vodka, all flavors. That sounds like one of those absolute. Oh, yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure Pinnacle probably would make's one too. Yeah. So like once again, we're already thrown off by Jerry the sailor up there cussing. And now he has now provided a story that he drank an entire bottle of whipped cream vodka and laid on his office floor in the fetal position.

Starting point is 00:02:46 Apparently he didn't get up to the next day, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, look, I'm HR, so I heard it, right? I had people coming up to me to be like, what was that? or, you know, like, and then giving me their two cents. And, of course, I provided it where it needed to go, right? Because that wasn't my decision. But later, like, a month or two later, I saw, you know those really cute bracelets, Lee, that you got us, that you can personalize? Mm-hmm.

Starting point is 00:03:13 I saw a couple members of the executive team, executive team, that had whipped vodka on bracelets on. What? Uh-huh. They made custom bracelets to give to one another. I think there was five of them that said whip vodka after what our founder story he had told on the stage. To like memorialize how unhinged that was. That was like their inside joke.

Starting point is 00:03:43 Yeah. And look, we all were uncomfortable, but we kind of thought it was funny. But like, as an executive. Well, that's taking an inside joke and making it outside when you put it there right on your wrist. Well, yeah. And I knew exactly. what it was. The moment I saw it on one of the executives' wrists, I was like, wait a minute. Well, anybody would. I mean, at least write like WCV. Yeah. You know, like initials. I'm not kidding.

Starting point is 00:04:06 Executives. Men and women? No, all just women. Oh, come on. Yep. I know. I was just like, that's poor taste. I'm sorry. Like, you're holding the highest level at this company. And that's our founder? Well, I will say, in a previous company, they used the phrase, shadow of a leader a lot, which I guess, some ways could be cringed corporate speak, but they'd say, oh, you cast seeing a long shadow or a short shadow. And again, you know me. I'm short. And so I don't want to be to, you know, don't worry. If you have a short shadow, that's fine. Just try to elongate it. You know, get on your tippy toes. But, I mean, what, that's the leader set the tone by talking about this at the meeting. So what kind of clown car organization?

Starting point is 00:04:48 I mean, on one hand, it sounds like, there's people that would be like, oh, that sounds kind of fun. kind of, you know, it sounds like the office, but it's, that sounds like a very mentally stressful environment. It was. And emotionally. And just imagine trying to be HR. Right. At a company like I'm closing my eyes like you asked us to do at the beginning and think about being in a ballroom, which I was imagining like frozen like Arundale, but shifted that a little bit. It closing my eyes and thinking about being HR in that environment, I'm popping them right open and coming back to life. Founder orgs like that. My gosh, you know. That's the truth. That's the truth. That's, That's the truth. At least he wasn't there, Jamie, while you were there. It was worse.

Starting point is 00:05:27 Yeah, that's true. You know what I'm saying? It was crazier when he was there. That's why they're making fun of it with those bracelets. You know, they survived it. That's what that is. It's a trauma bond thing that they're doing with that crap, you know? Like, you know, it was wild when he was there. It's not Chick-fil-A. Obviously, we can tell. That sounds like the exact opposite. No, I never worked for Chick-fil-A. Oh, man. I do love a whipped vodka, though. I love any vodka. I know I already said that. I just want to reinforce it. Have you been putting off that trip because you're nervous about not speaking the language? Well, don't sweat it. Babel's got your back. Start speaking a new language with confidence thanks to Babel's conversation-based technique that quickly teaches you useful words and phrases about the things you actually talk about in the real world.

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Starting point is 00:06:45 But maybe one day I'll get to actually use those cuss words and what I've learned. learned on Babel in Italy itself. Handcrafted by over 200 language experts, Babel's lessons are voiced by real native speakers and are built with science-backed cognitive tools like space repetition and interactive features to fit any learning style. Babel's tips and tools for learning a new language are approachable and accessible. It's like having a private tutor right in my pocket. Studies from Yale and Michigan State and other leading universities continue to prove Babel work.

Starting point is 00:07:19 One study found that using Babel for 15 hours is equivalent to a full semester at college. Yeah, that's incredible. With over 16 million subscriptions sold, Babel's 14 award-winning language courses are backed by a 20-day money-back guarantee. So get talking with Babel. I want you to learn another language, so I'm teaming up with Babel to give you 55% off subscriptions, but it's only for our listeners. dot com slash hr besties get up to 55% off at babble dot com slash hr besties spelled b a bbbbell e l.com slash hr besties babble dot com slash hr besties rules and restrictions may apply well thank you jamie god that is

Starting point is 00:08:11 totally freakishly unhinged we love it we love to see it keeps us employed Shifting gears, if we can. Let's do a quick run-through of the agenda, shall we kick this meeting off formally? Jamie, that hot goss, was piping. It was really hot, so thank you. Or cold, or freezing cold, as the case. Right, or ice vodka cold. It was whipped.

Starting point is 00:08:42 Oh, gosh. Next, we have cringe corporate speak, and that is going to be brought to us by Ashley. Thank you in advance. much for covering that. And then we will shift into our hot topic of today's meeting, which is all things Gen Z work culture clashes. So you may have heard in the news over the last few months about the Gen Z stare. God forbid, somebody look at you. But Gen Z, man, what the hell? They want feedback now, career growth yesterday, and want to be treated like human beings.

Starting point is 00:09:16 So we are going to turn that inside out. What the hell is wrong? with those people. Yeah, God forbid. Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh. And then as always, some questions and comments at the end. Ashley, take it away. Well, my cringed corporate speak for the week originated in part because Jamie talking about like a CEO leader, founder, sometimes when your organization, especially your company is acquiring another one, you like meet the leadership team another and you can just see they are two totally different organizations. That probably says a lot about the employees. It can be like oil and water. You meet that founder and like, oh my gosh. And that reminded me of a term that I used to hear in Margers and Acquisitions, which is Chinese Wall. But not like the Great Wall. Well, it is. I do think that's

Starting point is 00:10:05 the origin of it. Don't check it. But let me ask you, Jamie, have you heard this at work? I have not until you brought it up. So Chinese Wall, the way you tend to hear about this is like in the law firm environment, like if you're a lawyer and somebody else starts, there's like conflicts, like all this stuff. And be like, oh, we got to do a conflicts check. Can we represent people? And they'll say, and we used to hear this in law school. They're like, oh, that sometimes, you know, you can't work at the same firm or you can't represent. Sometimes you can have a Chinese wall. I'm Chinese wall. I mean, the professors are kind of saying this off the tongue. And people, you know, some of us are looking around like, what are you talking about?

Starting point is 00:10:37 But you also tend to hear this in like mergers and acquisition of like, oh, we're going a Chinese wall this information about who can hear this, who's going to be privy to this. It's basically about access and cutting off access between some and another. Okay. Can we not just say confidentiality? No, because then we wouldn't have things to talk about on the podcast. Valid. But we would love after this. We've talked about it.

Starting point is 00:11:02 So now you never need to say this term again. But I actually had, because I started law school now over 20 years ago, we just passed the 20 year anniversary of meeting my law school. besties. And some of them do still, most of them do still practice law. And so one asked, they're like, someone said this the other day. Like, do you guys find this cringy? And I was like, I do. In fact, I have a perfect avenue to talk about it. But so people also, if you look it up online, we'll say either the Great Wall of China or like a like a screen, like a decorative screen that you may have, that you may have in your house. I just, I don't like it. Yeah. I hate it.

Starting point is 00:11:36 That one is cringy. I'm cringing. I'm like, I hate it. I hate it. Oh, man. That is what it starts from. And so it's very, very similar to one of our first ever cringe corporate speaks, which was like open the kimono. I just say, again, saying confidentiality, like block off information. It's just, you don't have to worry after the fact about somebody coming to HR with that complaint generally. Like, do we have to be like nationalists?

Starting point is 00:12:01 I don't even know what that is. Do we have to be isty? Yeah. Like it just has that vibe, right? Like, not inclusive. Yeah. And then like your coworkers are all Asian. and they're like, what?

Starting point is 00:12:13 Right. You're setting up a Chinese wall. Like, what the hell? I mean, whatever, you know, it's like, ooh, like it's divisive. But 100%, I guarantee you, there's one or multiple people listening this podcast in whether you, like, are at work and have heard this and are like, oh, yeah, or in HR, where you had a complaint come to you and someone complained about this and have some leader that would say, well, nobody in the room was Asian, I guarantee you.

Starting point is 00:12:38 These are the type of, like, these are the type of complaints that HR gets in the just you would hear from leaders. And so the ISTE, you hear that with all of the various ISTE things. Nobody in the room was this. Were they offended? Like, oh, I'm sorry if you were offended. So just don't offend. That's it right there. That is it. I have a friend of mine and he's a white male. And he talks about how when he is in a room of white males, exactly what you said, Ashley. Like they go crazy with the ISTEs making the assumption that like everyone's on the same page or a line. and it offends a crap out of him. And then, you know, he's reported it before. And it's like, well, you're, you should be okay, but you don't fall into one of those groups. So you can't be offended. Like, wait, what? Like, it doesn't even make sense.

Starting point is 00:13:27 Okay. Yes. Damn. Well, I can't believe I haven't heard that one, but I'm glad I haven't heard that one. Like, oh. Me too. Oh. Well, shifting gears to the hot topic here.

Starting point is 00:13:39 I'm sure if I had it was. soon, because I do that a lot. That Gen Z probably hasn't heard that one, or it probably doesn't use that one. I hope not, and I hope they never do. I hope not, please. Let that one just, but that Gen Z stare, boy, that made some news, didn't it? Did you all read any of that or see all the social on that, all the reels? I did, because, you know, I'm chronically online, And so one of you two describe it because I'd seen it and I was like, oh, familiar, but I didn't dive quite as deep. Yeah. So, I mean, it's basically when you're talking to them, it's like a deadpan. Like there's no emotion, smiling. It's just a deadpan stare, like a glare.

Starting point is 00:14:27 So I think some people are expecting them to be warmer or more welcoming or act like they're active listening. I think that bothers people. it's a little silly if you ask me instead of talking about it they go on social and make a video exactly and bitch about it well yeah and you know obviously granted i do run a millennial meme page but i think we're always pitting generations against each other and you know we're saying well gen z thinks this is cringe and millennials and millennials can't stand the gen z stare and you know we're always, and even boomers and GenX and I mean, we're always, every article is always someone against someone. And so I actually sent this to you ladies earlier this week, but I saw

Starting point is 00:15:18 something on the future of work on all workspace. And it was all about Gen Z needs training. And so I sent it to y'all because I actually thought it was very interesting, but also a little silly because, for instance, nine out of 10 managers say that Gen Z workers need to be taught fundamental workplace behaviors. And I thought, well, I'm sure they do. I did too when I was a millennial in my career. Did I have a pretty good idea of how I was supposed to act? Yes, but I was lucky enough, and I think Gen Z would be lucky enough, that you have mentors and they teach you how to act in the workplace. And that sounds silly, but looking back on it, You know, when you're 22 entering the workforce as a boppin college, you know, young in,

Starting point is 00:16:06 things are different. You did how many years of college, I mean, how many years of school straight? And then you get into this corporate role and it's a new world. See, I'm over here like, why isn't it 10 out of 10 of manager? You know, like I look at it the other way. And then who's responsible for that? The leadership, the millennial and Gen X leaders, most likely. predominantly. I'm like, how's that news? They write about anything, don't they? Yeah. Like, isn't that

Starting point is 00:16:37 the role of leaders to kind of take them under their wing? I mean, this is a new space for Gen Z workers. What else did that article say? Do you recall? It also said that some of these fundamental behaviors are how to receive constructive criticism without becoming defensive was 59%. which, once again, that was something I definitely had to learn, too. Isn't that everyone? I definitely, you know, this wasn't something I came into the workforce and just automatically knew how to receive constructive criticism. 46% how to speak appropriately with clients and colleagues. Shit, I don't even still speak appropriately.

Starting point is 00:17:24 Right, right. I mean, I know when to turn it down, but I mean, I think I, I, I think. I think in general, once again, coming straight out of college, whether you were straight out or your master's or whatever, you've went through school 16, 18 years of your life, you're not used to this new corporate world that you step foot in. This one was surprising, though. 45% don't know how to multitask. Which supposedly isn't a thing.

Starting point is 00:17:55 Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it's not good to multitask. physically, mentally, like, we are not capable, yet we try, we fail, we make mistakes. You know, so in a way, I'm like, okay, well, isn't that good that they can focus? Because my ass can't. Oh, gosh. Yeah, I mean, I'm ADHD all the time.

Starting point is 00:18:19 I literally will have five projects going at once, and then I walk into the room and see that the one I left at the very beginning of the day, and I'm like, shit. Yeah. Can't finish nothing. And to rustler. What I'd love to see is our education system, and not just like a globally education system in some, some, obviously some particular schools, but also some geographies I do think are a lot better at teaching people fundamentals, things like, I'd say balancing a checkbook, but that's, all right, let's ream.

Starting point is 00:18:49 People are like, what's that? But those skills, I do think it's some of that's lacking. And I didn't, I didn't learn that in high school. I feel like, you know, we're all of, you know, this like elder millennial generation where we were some that that kind of fell off. And so we didn't have that education. And so I don't know how I learned those things exactly. I'm still probably have not learned all of those things. But my daughter just started high school. And at this high school, we went into a class and they were teaching cooking. And then he said like the last, this teacher said the last, I think four or six weeks, he's like, we just teach all sorts of things like how to tie a tie, how to do the, like and teaches very fundamental skills. And I think in an ideal world, it should start in those aspects. And so, you know, high school education, because now a lot of people are choosing not to go to college university, I do think universities could use some more practical training of those things. But having that, but having, I think organizations recognizing people new to the workforce, I mean, whether they're, well, whether they're new to your workforce or

Starting point is 00:19:46 they're new to your organization, teaching people like, these are the things we do. And in proactively teaching that as leaders and helping managers know how to teach that to their teens, it really is skills to get people on the same page. But if you just leave it up to individual managers or teach people how to do it, people aren't going to know what to do. You have to, like, this is why I have a lot of discussions about this. I think one of the real roles that HR can have value is to be this like hub of teaching people things for managers then to translate to the needs of their team. But if HR could focus more on, you know, the what and then how you translate the what to the how and start that process. And that, I think, is one of the most valuable things that HR can do.

Starting point is 00:20:28 Yeah, this one shocked me. Supervisors also report relentless need for reminders around basic work conduct. No one's asking for reminders on how to be. This is where we get into that. 48% is actually prompting Gen G.G workers to show up on time. Like, go get your coffee, girl. That's the, and that's where I think like me being a millennial manager, a leader, I'm going to let you be a few minutes late. Go get your coffee. I'm going to be late too. I'm going to wait in the Starbucks line. It's a problem if you're in like health care schools, like those things where you have ratios and have those things. And I do think there's managers in those situations that are trying to explain that. I think the biggest gap. And again, that's where I think a lot of managers

Starting point is 00:21:15 need to be taught how to have these conversations is why I do what I do right now, but is that if you're a manager and you just come in hot for someone, they're going to shut down. They're totally going to shut down. But so thinking in the guns, what really matters in this role and how do I explain that? And so if you meet people on their level and it's someone's first ever corporate job and explaining like, you know, our general working hours are 8 to 5, this does not mean that I'm going to be at a timer at 8 o'clock. I'm going to have things. You're going to have things. And so there's totally discretion there. But also, no, if we get to 838, 45 and I don't see you anywhere. You don't want to be in a position and I don't want to be in a position where I'm

Starting point is 00:21:49 having to chase down and be like, you know, where are you? And so sometimes that's not going to matter. I'm not going to walk around taking role. But if we have a meeting or something like that and you're not able to meet it, just reach out and let me know. And if at some point I look at it and I'm like, oh, you really need to get here earlier, I'll level with you because my job is to give you skills for this role and your career. And I think if managers had that conversation that's more about building people up than just coming in like, I know your generation, because I do think there's habits that this generation has. And honestly, I think most of them, and this is going to make me, someone probably call me a boomer, but like sound like that, but it's about technology that I think

Starting point is 00:22:26 now, like, I'll get in a car with a bunch of high schoolers. And I'll have to say like, all right, guys, let's put our phones down. And like, I want to hear about your days. Because otherwise, teenagers now and later generations sometimes are just like, they're used to just being on their phones at all times. And so they go to the workforce and they spend their whole time on their cell phone. And so explain to your manager, like, yeah, I know you may be used to doing that.

Starting point is 00:22:47 This is why you don't want to do that at the workplace and just knowing people don't know until you teach them. Imagine transforming your life by unlocking the power of your mind. I'm Amy Morin, therapist and bestselling author, and I'm here to teach you how with my podcast, mentally stronger with therapist Amy Morin. With actionable strategies straight from my therapy office and wisdom from the world's leading experts, I'll equip you with the tools to conquer whatever challenges life throws your way.

Starting point is 00:23:18 Whether you're overcoming mental health issues or aiming for peak performance, this podcast is your gateway to becoming mentally stronger. Subscribe to Mentally Stronger with therapist Amy Morin. Your journey to unlocking full potential starts here. Well, and that's actually funny that you bring that up because it says that 40% of those basic workplace conduct is promoting Gen Z to put their phone away and actually communicate like professionals. And I mean, I think I'm guilty of it too. Sometimes it's easier to ping someone. I hate the word ping. Previous corporate cringe that we knew, but it's easier to just

Starting point is 00:23:53 chat or slack them and say, hey, are you available? Or do you have time today? I have a quick question or, hey, I have a quick question. I mean, I'm guilty of that. I just feel like that's the easiest way to not bother someone rather than just cold calling them. Like, if they're on green, oh my God, do you, like, I have been cold called on greed before, and it is, it is shocking. I, my mouth was a gait, honey. I was like, no, no, you do not call me just because I'm on green. But like, we, I also used to sit at a cubicle with a phone right by my desk and I had to pick it up. So where, what happened to me? Things evolve. I'm just reflecting. I'm just thinking, right? As as I'm listening to you all, like just how this so reinforces the need for manager training,

Starting point is 00:24:41 leadership development, a focus on belonging at work and reinforcing that with our leaders. Like shout out to Ashley, right, for, you know, creating and running a business that's focused on that because it's so important and it's something that I'm going to make this figure up. It's just in my experience, 98% of businesses and orgs fail at, you know, like no one is good at this space. I'll tell you that. No one is, I'd say, excellent in this space. And I've worked at some places that had universities and they were incredible, but still,

Starting point is 00:25:18 it's so important because you have to give access to people. You have to give people opportunities, right? Your new employees, we're in this case, we're talking about Gen Z. right? You have to explain the why to this population, right? Like Ashley was getting at, like leaders, a lot of leaders that don't have adequate training, come in and just want to control to the letter of the law. And it's really not about that. It's about being someone people want to follow. Why do they want to follow you? Because you empower them, because you trust them, you believe in them, you help them grow.

Starting point is 00:25:58 You can't do that if you're not connecting with them. You can't do that if they don't feel safe with you. You can't do that if there's no sense of belonging. So that is so important, you know, to reinforce in your own leadership style and with your leaders and management team, that allowing people to get involved, to lean in, to support them in their own journey, to not force them. force anything, control everything, let them make mistakes. Ah, is so important. But you have to have those transparent, candid conversations in order to do that. And that's where managers fail, you know,

Starting point is 00:26:37 feeling like ick to do that. Instead of like explaining the why, well, here's why it's important to show up on time. Let's just talk about it generally, how it affects the business, why you are so important. Your presence here is so impactful. Let me explain that as opposed to why wasn't your ass here at 7.45. That has just a totally different, like, impact, right? You're getting written up. Like, absolutely, completely. Influence. Fuck. You're a leader. And there's a lot that managers and employees, like, all need to know. And so thank you for the shout out. And because in my, there's a few things in common that I have, that I have as I have like training programs for managers and I have them for like all employees, non-managers. And two of those modules are

Starting point is 00:27:21 exactly that, how to give and get feedback. And it also talks about it in the very real term that when you get feedback, you can say all day, whether you're an employee, whether you're a manager, like whether you're Gen Z. Gen Z will say, we want to get feedback. Then you get feedback. And I don't care whether you're Gen Z or, you know, I don't know, I don't know, octogenarian. That's another term. They always talked about in law school. It's weird. I know. I'll have to Google that later. It's so weird. They'd say the fertile. It's so weird. about the fertile octogenarian. Like anyone that's a lawyer, we'll be like, oh, yeah. They're like, yes. They talk about that in property class. It's about like real estate. And like they always,

Starting point is 00:27:59 anyway, it doesn't matter. But, but let's say you're an octogenarian. But the one thing in common is, you say I want feedback. Great. Then you get the feedback. If that feedback is not positive, it's probably going to hurt. It may hurt a lot. It may hurt a little. But whenever you're doing something, especially if it's some of the first times, but even if you've been doing it for years, it hurts. And so, like, in the training, I talk about this and say, you're going to say it and you get it. And it's probably not going to feel so good. And part of it is just that recognition. But also, this is how you can take it in. It's how you can take a beat if you need to think about it and come back to it. This is how you can effectively give feedback above.

Starting point is 00:28:33 And that's probably not going to be in that same moment where you get feedback. And they're like, well, let me tell you about you, like, you know, point right back at them. And it talks about that, how that might be your instinct. Like, and it's because a lot of this is meeting people where they are. And so I like it because this is why I do what I do all day long. But this aspect of like Gen Z, I think that there's a lot of behaviors. People see it in Gen Z because it's a bit more visible. It's more talked about. But I think you can see it through all levels, including those people that have like,

Starting point is 00:28:58 been there, been at your organization for decades. I've said this before, but shout out to Gen Z for changing my life. And I'm not even kidding. Their impact on the workplace, I feel as a geriatric millennial. You know what I mean? Their expectations, their just mentality shift, what's important to them. I'm like, wow. And we raise those people and we should be proud. That's all I had to say. I mean, like, wow. Like, don't forget that if you're a Gen Xer and you're bitching about your Gen Z pop, those are your kids. You know what I mean? Did you do a good job or not? Because that shit was on you.

Starting point is 00:29:42 you know, the impact that they're having on the workforce and just our, like I said, that mentality shift on the importance of work has personally affected me. I look at their example and it has changed how I operate and work. It's allowed for me to even operate different, you know. So I'm like all day, it's Gen Z here, you know. They put up that Chinese wall. Oh! Oh. It felt inky saying it. I didn't like it. Well, shall we shift to some questions and comments? Ladies, what do you have?

Starting point is 00:30:23 I do have a comment, if I may. Let me go first because it still has to do about this crap that we're talking about today, the hot topic. The Gen Z stare. When I first saw, I didn't read anything on it, but I saw all the memes and stuff and all the, the real. and whatever on the Gen Z stare. And I'll tell you that that Gen Z stare is how I would look if I did not feel forced to mask. Okay, so like as a geriatric millennial,

Starting point is 00:30:58 we had to kiss a lot of ass. We had to fake a lot to get ahead at work. And it's exhausting, and I burned out. I am burned out from 20 years of that bullshit. And it's not rude. It's real. I take it as authentic. I really do. I don't take it as like a slight of customer service or anything. Someone's just being dumb. And that's how I really do view it. If I didn't have to mask or wasn't so used to mask myself to fit in at work, I would have the Gen Z stare. That's my normal face. it really is you know what i mean it takes a lot of effort and heartache to mass so i'm like shout out to the gen z stare for like making it socially acceptable to be yourself sometimes and that is okay you know sorry but not all people are worth the energy of your smile and your fake ass masking

Starting point is 00:32:04 it's just true you know and it's not rude like i said i just think it's authentic but anyway that's my comment. That's how I think of that Gen Z stare personally. My comment is just to everyone who's listening that's not Gen Z. I think you need to pause and give grace to our Gen Z because they're learning too. They have not been like all these ladies on this podcast. We've been doing this for 20 plus years. Give Grace. You were once a little. 20-something too and knew in the corporate world and didn't know how to work the coffee machine, the coffee pot or, you know. So just give grace, take them under your wing, teach them a few things and just be nice. It's really not that hard, I promise. Ditto that. Ashley, what do you got?

Starting point is 00:33:00 Laughing, thinking of probably some future stories about the things I did as new to the work. I know, right? All the dumb things I did. I know. Now I'm thinking about it. about it. Well, I saw one of those things recently. It was like, I can't read it's on LinkedIn or I don't know somewhere. Probably not probably Instagram. It was like someone's, this CEO's like, we had an intern start and they sent this message that was like, have you ever thought about adding more revenue? Just an idea. Oh, I saw that. And I saw that. And I didn't do that. And forgive me, I didn't do that. But on my first week at my new job, I mean first week, first ever corporate, corporate job. I made a list of 25 ideas I had for the business. And this was a public company.

Starting point is 00:33:44 I gave it to our training manager and was like, these are just, you know, just some ideas. I was thinking, I was thinking about at night and like printed it out. I think, I think about that. And it's hard to sleep. It's 100%. It probably made it to that person's fridge. I like, look at this stuff. Absolutely. Oh, go. Sure. Oh, absolutely. I'll pass that right on On to who? So many. I don't have 25 ideas now for something. What was I thinking?

Starting point is 00:34:18 And I'm sure I had like 23 and I was like, shit, it's got to look kind of official. Kind of add two more. But the one thing I'd say when you're talking about generations, especially for those in HR, is to be very careful talking about generations because as you talk about Gen Z, even if you're trying to do things to support that Gen Z, you're going to quickly lose Gen Z by painting everybody as Gen Z. But what you're also going to do is alienate the other generations, because that's when some of those stereotypes can come in about, like, well, they don't know technology. And I use this example always of Mama Manager Method, my mom, who's recently

Starting point is 00:34:52 retired, but knows more about technology than most people, most people I know. And so I just think of her and how pissed she would have gotten in a meeting if someone had said that. So just know, the road to hell is paved with, one, good intentions and two, overuse of of generations at work. Love that. That's a mic drop moment there. Basically, just don't be a bitch. Doesn't matter what generation you're from. Fair? I don't know.

Starting point is 00:35:20 Yeah. DLDR. Hi, I'm Tamson Fidel, journalist and author of How to Menopause and host of The Tamson Show. weekly podcast with your roadmap to midlife and beyond. We cover it all. From dating to divorce, aging to ADHD, sleep to sex, brain health to body fat, and even how perimenopause can affect your relationships. And trust me, it can. Each week, I sit down with doctors, experts,

Starting point is 00:35:54 and leaders in longevity for unfiltered conversations, pack with advice on everything from hormones to happiness. And of course, how to stay sane during what can be, well, let's face it. it a pretty chaotic chapter of life. Think of us as your midlife survival guide. New episodes released every Wednesday. Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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