November 18, 2025
Krakenimages.com/Depositphotos.com
Is the Gen Z ‘Stare’ or Lack of ‘Handshake’ Skills a Real Problem in Retail?
While inter-generational bickering and criticism is certainly nothing new, particularly online, a raft of recent reports have cast Gen Z in the spotlight, highlighting an apparent dearth of soft skills — or “handshake skills,” as one retail insider termed it — plaguing certain workers and would-be workers in today’s retail workforce.
In an “expert viewpoints” piece penned for Chain Store Age, HireQuest CEO Rick Hermanns made a few concise points around the shifting labor landscape in the retail business. From the prevalence of swapping W-2 roles to 1099 contractor arrangements to discussions around the complexities of worker verification, Hermanns then pivoted to outline a supposed skills gap in evidence when it comes to today’s Gen Z employees.
“For Gen Z workers entering the retail industry, whether they’re working the checkout counter or helping build new stores on the construction side, employers say the biggest gap isn’t technical ability, it’s ‘handshake’ skills,” Hermanns wrote.
“Across industries, hiring managers are passing on Gen Z candidates in favor of more seasoned workers who can show up on time, problem-solve and communicate confidently from day one,” he added.
This trend was also analyzed by Nick Lichtenburg and Fortune Intelligence following the explosion of social media content chronicling the so-called “Gen Z stare” that filled feeds earlier this year.
Described as a vacant and unresponsive gaze replacing the traditional greeting or chit-chat in retail and service roles, Millennials and members of older generations spoke of instances where this behavior was encountered in real-life settings, pointing to a lack of interest or engagement, as well as a lack of social grace or soft skills. Gen Zers were quick to retort, claiming the stare could be a reaction to awkward or foolish customer interactions, or an expression for a desire for authenticity, rather than scripted or forced customer service interactions.
However, as Lichtenburg and Fortune underscored, businesses were taking these trends quite seriously.
“Managers and older colleagues report that the Gen Z stare reflects a broader challenge with face-to-face communication and soft skills, which are critical in customer-facing roles. This has led to misunderstandings, perceived rudeness, and, in some cases, customer dissatisfaction. Companies are investing more in soft skills training for Gen Z employees, increasing onboarding costs and time-to-productivity,” Lichtenburg wrote.
“Some managers report [per HR Dive] higher stress and even consider leaving their roles due to the challenges of managing Gen Z workers, with 18% saying they’ve thought about quitting and 27% preferring not to hire Gen Z if possible. The Gen Z stare has become a symbol of generational friction [per Mashable], with half of managers saying younger workers cause tension among other age groups. This can impact team cohesion, collaboration, and overall workplace morale. Even many Gen Z managers say that their own generation is the most difficult to manage,” he added.
Gen Z Also Offers Positives in the Workforce, Including Transparency, Flexibility, and Inclusion
In a CTV News report also taking on the topic of the day when it comes to a perceived lack of etiquette and soft skills among Gen Z job-seekers or new hires, Ashley Kelly — founder and CEO of the workplace inclusion consultancy CultureAlly — noted that many zoomers had missed out on the “micro-lessons” that previous age cohorts had gained through in-person experiences.
“They came into the workforce during COVID,” said Kelly. “They missed out on a ton of these micro-lessons that you pick up just by being in the office — seeing how people dress, how they handle tough conversations, how they show up in meetings.”
“They bring a ton of positives to the workforce. They really value transparency, flexibility and inclusion. I’ll say too: they push organizations to live up to those values, and I think that that’s really good for everyone and for business in general,” she added.
BrainTrust
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Kai Clarke
CEO, President- American Retail Consultants
Doug Garnett
President, Protonik
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Do you agree with the premise that Gen Z, broadly speaking, faces a soft skills gap in customer service and retail roles? Why or why not?
What should retailers do to help Gen Z applicants, or new hires, transition into their roles — if anything?
What benefits could Gen Z staff members bring to the retail operations table that may not be captured by these analyses?
Poll
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I do not see this as a Gen Z problem. Across all generations we find people who are superb at customer interactions and those who aren’t. We are facing comes, in part, from a shift forcing people to take jobs facing customers whether they are skilled at it or not. There has, after all, been a massive growth in such jobs and a drop in jobs where they might be more comfortable. This economic shift affects Gen Z more dramatically because they are far earlier in their careers. That said, retail companies are at fault for their inability to comprehend their retail world in action. The vast numbers of corporate demands placed on front line staff — demands disconnected from what matters on the front line — make difficult challenges far worse.
Soft skills are not inherent in many of those workers who were born in a digital age and “matured” during the unprecedented pandemic times. However, I believe soft skills can be developed and that other skills such as technical savviness, social media awareness, and tight knit sense of community.
I do have one big pet peeve: When I ask for assistance and say thank you, I don’t understand the response “that’s okay.” What happened to “you’re welcome?”
Always interesting how larger societal shifts across generations impact interpretation and norms.
At Nordstrom 30 years ago, some of us serving customers would gladly comment “No problem” to convey we will take care of them, to reduce concern or worries about hassle. It was a friendly way to connect. In recent years, now apparently that phrase can set some customers off – “I didn’t say I had a problem” or, “This was a problem?”.
This is a cultural issue that GEN Z seems to have more of because of their entry into the workforce wtith the greatest numbers. GEN Z has issues with countless social skills from proper personal interaction, courtesy positioning including verbal skills, face to face interaction, and lack of proper retail etiquette.
It may or may not be, but I find it hard to get past the first few words (“While inter-generational bickering and criticism is certainly nothing new”) in thinking it isn’t a real problem
Store Operations Council members addressed this at their meeting this summer. They agree that outreach skills may be lacking for this generation, but with adequate training they can rise above it.
Last week I spoke at a trade show. The speaker who was in the room before me talked about how Generation Z has no communication skills, have never sat around a dinner table with family, and have poor communication skills; you know, the whole Gen Z stereotype. It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut.
There are so many negative comments about Gen Z and their inability to communicate, and yet that has not in my experience. They populate my presentations, sit alongside older gens, and are able to interact just fine.
Stereotypes are annoying.
Being a Baby Boomer, I am still asked if I ran around in the mud at Woodstock. And I continue to say no, because I was a kid. Most of Gen Z are still kids, too. How about we give them a break?
Amen sister (I didn’t go to Woodstock. Turned around when I was 7 miles away because I didn’t want to ditch my car and the idea of sleeping in mud was no more entertaining to me at 19 than it would be today). Especially inebriated. Give them a break
Agreed. This is why I wonder if we don’t have one of those odd demographic problems. In her book Quiet, Susan Cain notes how farmers, for example, could lack all kinds of people skills and still be superb farmers. Once they were demanded to become factory workers, this put them at a disadvantage. Across all generations I’d suggest the dominance of retail work is to prominent that retailers have to hire all kinds of people including those who would thrive as farmers and hate customer facing work. In other words, all this Gen Z stuff is not about Gen Z but about the job market — and misunderstandings with extra problems generated by the usual generational prejudices. My generation, after all, was told we were entirely too soft and pampered to succeed in the world. 🙂
This comment really struck home. “… have never sat around a dinner table with family.” All four of my grandchildren commented on how NONE of their friends have family dinners, while family dinners are a regular thing in their households.
My husband and I still have family dinner each night, even when it’s just the two of us. My Millennial kids have contimued the tradition. It’s important.
Benefits of Gen Z staff include critical thinking, especially insights on how to make operational processes more efficient. Like Millennials, they question the status quo because new, streamlined approaches seem so obvious to them. They reject “This is how we’ve always done things” as an acceptable rationale when existing systems create unnecessary organizational stress.
Every time we have a shift in generations, far reaching conclusions are made from basically nothing. We went through it with Millennials and Tiny houses until they grew up. I mean, if your customer is Gen Z or Millennial, do you really think they need the handshake? Expect it? Want it, even?
what the phrase? Oh yeah, read the room
It’s not just younger adults: some Gen Xs have replaced handshakes with fist bumps. The pandemic permanently changed their greeting habits.
It is tempting for us Boomers to rag on GenZ (aka “Zoomers”) while they are engaged in creating their own social and business culture. Much of that effort has taken place in relative isolation. Before we critique them too harshly, we should make an effort to understand where they are coming from.
But it is also our responsibility to educate and pass down our perspectives on behavioral norms. Most people can be trained, indoctrinated even, to understand and embrace a service culture. It would be a mistake to assume they arrive with those attributes on the first day of work.
I have a hunch that the “GenZ stare,” if there really is such a thing, may be less about disrespect or disdain and more of a “tell” that reveals social anxiety. Communication, confidence and leadership are teachable skills.
What young generation getting their first job in the workplace doesn’t need a little training on etiquette – especially in retail where employees interact face-to-face with customers. Sure, in some cases it’s the way they were brought up, so we can put some blame on the parents. At the end of the day, it’s up to the person hiring to know they are making a good choice based on attitude, aptitude, and a willingness to learn.
And if you want to get the top candidates, be more selective with who you hire. I believe it was Peter Nordstrom who was asked how they train their employees to be so friendly and customer-focused. His response was simple, and the short version is, Nordstrom doesn’t train them. Their parents trained them. Nordstrom just takes what they already know and make it work for the brand.
I’ve found Gen Z to be quick on the uptake, engaged, and curious. This is particularly evident after my presentations. Gen Z attendees are invariably the first to ask thoughtful questions and often request time for a chat at cocktail hour/dinner. That’s not to say that some folks, regardless of generation, don’t have more difficulty interacting with others these days. Dropping into various Threads postings, I’ve been saddened to realize how many people suffer from extreme social anxiety, depression, and introversion. I’m grateful for the awareness and try to just meet people where they are.
The Gen Z ‘stare’ feels more like a symptom of how and when this generation entered the workforce than a sign of poor work ethic. A lot of them started working during or right after COVID and missed in-person cues other generations picked up naturally. Soft skills can absolutely be taught – and many retailers are already doing that.
This is more than just Gen Z. Many great points by others here that I will not repeat, but one “trend” that I do not see listed is the sad downgrading of telephone support, which (of course!) comes from pretty much any country but here, and that assumes you can get past the idiotic voicebot thing that wastes at least 17 seconds (yes I have timed it) with the menu of choices that begins your call.
Retail has in many cases brought this one themselves and by extension consumers.
I don’t believe we should broadly characterize Generation Z as simply lacking foundational soft skills in retail or customer service—any generation can learn, grow, and thrive in interpersonal engagement if given the right tools and development. That said, empirical research and recent commentary do indicate that some employers and managers perceive a gap in areas like traditional face-to-face communication, emotional intelligence, and the “rituals” of interaction that have long defined retail service. For example, one review found communication, teamwork, and interpersonal soft skills were among the most-valued yet also most-deficient when evaluating Gen Z employees.
From a practical standpoint, retailers should proactively support Gen Z hires with structured onboarding and coaching that emphasize service rituals, live customer interactions, role-playing scenarios, and feedback loops. It’s not about fixing deficits—it’s about translating their digital-native fluency and tech comfort into live settings: active greetings, reading body language, adapting to in-store flow, and creating emotional connection. My experience tells me that when retailers invest in these foundational habits, Gen Z associates quickly become effective front-line ambassadors.
It’s also worth acknowledging that Gen Z brings fresh and under-leveraged strengths to retail operations: strong digital savviness, social-media comfort, peer influence, and authenticity in voice—assets that matter increasingly to today’s shoppers. These qualities may not show up in classic soft-skills checklists, but they represent a powerful opportunity to modernize customer engagement. In other words: rather than viewing Gen Z through a deficit lens, we should view them as a cohort with distinct strengths—and just a little orientation to the interpersonal side closes the loop.
From what I’ve seen, the soft-skills conversation around Gen Z is often overstated. Many of these employees entered the workforce without the everyday in-person interactions older generations took for granted, so some communication gaps show up on the sales floor. That doesn’t make them less capable. It means the context they grew up in was different.
Most Gen Z associates improve quickly when expectations are clear and the work environment is supportive. They bring valuable strengths to retail, especially comfort with technology, speed in learning new tools, and a strong push for transparency and fairness.
My suggestion is straightforward. Retailers should offer simple, practical training on customer interaction and pair it with operational processes that reduce unnecessary pressure at the counter. When the environment sets them up to succeed, Gen Z becomes an asset, not a challenge.
Short answer- NO. I’ve been equally dismissed by Gen Z clerks, Gen X clerks, and, dare I say, even my Boomer co-generationists. Customer-facing jobs are exhausting, and patience is often the first thing to go after a day of dealing with difficult old guys like me. Gen Z may have a wee bit less experience with challenging interactions; they haven’t been doing this for 30 years. However, to say this is a generational issue is a mistake. As Doug points out Gen Z is being unfairly targeted because they hold more entry-level, store clerk, and customer-facing jobs in the market.
Wasn’t there a book, way back when, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”? I believe there is a lot of truth to that. We should be raising “free-range” children to adequately prepare them for life. Observationally, I haven’t seen much of that in the development of young Gen Zs over the last decades.
I don’t find these sweeping generalizations accurate or helpful. We employ a lot of Gen Z on our teams and none of them have issues with softer skills. We also worked with a lot of Gen Z (and some Gen Alpha) as part often Pacsun youth work – and they were extremely engaging.
I see most in Gen Z having very good communication skills. They will have good careers in the long-run.
But it’s good to remember this generation has largely grown up with social media and texting as an acceptable first line of communication. And so some may need a little more convincing (hopefully first by parents, and not only the workplace) than others prior to prioritize and embrace more developed skills around social cues and in-person communication.
The conversation around Gen Z in the workplace is too often framed by what they “lack,” like the infamous “handshake skills” or “stare.” This completely misses the positive attributes they bring: they are direct, talented, smart, and driven. The issue isn’t that they are incapable; it’s that they refuse to be confined to rigid, often inefficient structures, such as the mandatory 9-to-5 schedule, that previous generations accepted.
We need to ask if the perceived “problem” is actually a mismatch of pace and priorities. We are trying to shoehorn a technologically native, outcomes-focused generation into a traditional retail model that demands scripted performance and adherence to old social norms. Gen Z is here to do the job properly and efficiently, not to participate in unnecessary workplace rituals.
- Is the perceived “soft skills gap” simply a sign that older managers are uncomfortable with a more direct, less traditional communication style, rather than a true failure of competence?
- To successfully recruit and retain this “talented, aggressive” generation, how fundamentally must the retail 9-to-5 scheduling model change to prioritize flexibility and focus on results over time spent?
- Could businesses use Gen Z’s desire for authenticity and efficiency (the opposite of scripted chit-chat) as a competitive advantage in a world tired of forced, artificial customer service?
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I do not see this as a Gen Z problem. Across all generations we find people who are superb at customer interactions and those who aren’t. We are facing comes, in part, from a shift forcing people to take jobs facing customers whether they are skilled at it or not. There has, after all, been a massive growth in such jobs and a drop in jobs where they might be more comfortable. This economic shift affects Gen Z more dramatically because they are far earlier in their careers. That said, retail companies are at fault for their inability to comprehend their retail world in action. The vast numbers of corporate demands placed on front line staff — demands disconnected from what matters on the front line — make difficult challenges far worse.
Soft skills are not inherent in many of those workers who were born in a digital age and “matured” during the unprecedented pandemic times. However, I believe soft skills can be developed and that other skills such as technical savviness, social media awareness, and tight knit sense of community.
I do have one big pet peeve: When I ask for assistance and say thank you, I don’t understand the response “that’s okay.” What happened to “you’re welcome?”
Always interesting how larger societal shifts across generations impact interpretation and norms.
At Nordstrom 30 years ago, some of us serving customers would gladly comment “No problem” to convey we will take care of them, to reduce concern or worries about hassle. It was a friendly way to connect. In recent years, now apparently that phrase can set some customers off – “I didn’t say I had a problem” or, “This was a problem?”.
This is a cultural issue that GEN Z seems to have more of because of their entry into the workforce wtith the greatest numbers. GEN Z has issues with countless social skills from proper personal interaction, courtesy positioning including verbal skills, face to face interaction, and lack of proper retail etiquette.
It may or may not be, but I find it hard to get past the first few words (“While inter-generational bickering and criticism is certainly nothing new”) in thinking it isn’t a real problem
Store Operations Council members addressed this at their meeting this summer. They agree that outreach skills may be lacking for this generation, but with adequate training they can rise above it.
Last week I spoke at a trade show. The speaker who was in the room before me talked about how Generation Z has no communication skills, have never sat around a dinner table with family, and have poor communication skills; you know, the whole Gen Z stereotype. It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut.
There are so many negative comments about Gen Z and their inability to communicate, and yet that has not in my experience. They populate my presentations, sit alongside older gens, and are able to interact just fine.
Stereotypes are annoying.
Being a Baby Boomer, I am still asked if I ran around in the mud at Woodstock. And I continue to say no, because I was a kid. Most of Gen Z are still kids, too. How about we give them a break?
Amen sister (I didn’t go to Woodstock. Turned around when I was 7 miles away because I didn’t want to ditch my car and the idea of sleeping in mud was no more entertaining to me at 19 than it would be today). Especially inebriated. Give them a break
Agreed. This is why I wonder if we don’t have one of those odd demographic problems. In her book Quiet, Susan Cain notes how farmers, for example, could lack all kinds of people skills and still be superb farmers. Once they were demanded to become factory workers, this put them at a disadvantage. Across all generations I’d suggest the dominance of retail work is to prominent that retailers have to hire all kinds of people including those who would thrive as farmers and hate customer facing work. In other words, all this Gen Z stuff is not about Gen Z but about the job market — and misunderstandings with extra problems generated by the usual generational prejudices. My generation, after all, was told we were entirely too soft and pampered to succeed in the world. 🙂
This comment really struck home. “… have never sat around a dinner table with family.” All four of my grandchildren commented on how NONE of their friends have family dinners, while family dinners are a regular thing in their households.
My husband and I still have family dinner each night, even when it’s just the two of us. My Millennial kids have contimued the tradition. It’s important.
Benefits of Gen Z staff include critical thinking, especially insights on how to make operational processes more efficient. Like Millennials, they question the status quo because new, streamlined approaches seem so obvious to them. They reject “This is how we’ve always done things” as an acceptable rationale when existing systems create unnecessary organizational stress.
Every time we have a shift in generations, far reaching conclusions are made from basically nothing. We went through it with Millennials and Tiny houses until they grew up. I mean, if your customer is Gen Z or Millennial, do you really think they need the handshake? Expect it? Want it, even?
what the phrase? Oh yeah, read the room
It’s not just younger adults: some Gen Xs have replaced handshakes with fist bumps. The pandemic permanently changed their greeting habits.
It is tempting for us Boomers to rag on GenZ (aka “Zoomers”) while they are engaged in creating their own social and business culture. Much of that effort has taken place in relative isolation. Before we critique them too harshly, we should make an effort to understand where they are coming from.
But it is also our responsibility to educate and pass down our perspectives on behavioral norms. Most people can be trained, indoctrinated even, to understand and embrace a service culture. It would be a mistake to assume they arrive with those attributes on the first day of work.
I have a hunch that the “GenZ stare,” if there really is such a thing, may be less about disrespect or disdain and more of a “tell” that reveals social anxiety. Communication, confidence and leadership are teachable skills.
What young generation getting their first job in the workplace doesn’t need a little training on etiquette – especially in retail where employees interact face-to-face with customers. Sure, in some cases it’s the way they were brought up, so we can put some blame on the parents. At the end of the day, it’s up to the person hiring to know they are making a good choice based on attitude, aptitude, and a willingness to learn.
And if you want to get the top candidates, be more selective with who you hire. I believe it was Peter Nordstrom who was asked how they train their employees to be so friendly and customer-focused. His response was simple, and the short version is, Nordstrom doesn’t train them. Their parents trained them. Nordstrom just takes what they already know and make it work for the brand.
I’ve found Gen Z to be quick on the uptake, engaged, and curious. This is particularly evident after my presentations. Gen Z attendees are invariably the first to ask thoughtful questions and often request time for a chat at cocktail hour/dinner. That’s not to say that some folks, regardless of generation, don’t have more difficulty interacting with others these days. Dropping into various Threads postings, I’ve been saddened to realize how many people suffer from extreme social anxiety, depression, and introversion. I’m grateful for the awareness and try to just meet people where they are.
The Gen Z ‘stare’ feels more like a symptom of how and when this generation entered the workforce than a sign of poor work ethic. A lot of them started working during or right after COVID and missed in-person cues other generations picked up naturally. Soft skills can absolutely be taught – and many retailers are already doing that.
This is more than just Gen Z. Many great points by others here that I will not repeat, but one “trend” that I do not see listed is the sad downgrading of telephone support, which (of course!) comes from pretty much any country but here, and that assumes you can get past the idiotic voicebot thing that wastes at least 17 seconds (yes I have timed it) with the menu of choices that begins your call.
Retail has in many cases brought this one themselves and by extension consumers.
I don’t believe we should broadly characterize Generation Z as simply lacking foundational soft skills in retail or customer service—any generation can learn, grow, and thrive in interpersonal engagement if given the right tools and development. That said, empirical research and recent commentary do indicate that some employers and managers perceive a gap in areas like traditional face-to-face communication, emotional intelligence, and the “rituals” of interaction that have long defined retail service. For example, one review found communication, teamwork, and interpersonal soft skills were among the most-valued yet also most-deficient when evaluating Gen Z employees.
From a practical standpoint, retailers should proactively support Gen Z hires with structured onboarding and coaching that emphasize service rituals, live customer interactions, role-playing scenarios, and feedback loops. It’s not about fixing deficits—it’s about translating their digital-native fluency and tech comfort into live settings: active greetings, reading body language, adapting to in-store flow, and creating emotional connection. My experience tells me that when retailers invest in these foundational habits, Gen Z associates quickly become effective front-line ambassadors.
It’s also worth acknowledging that Gen Z brings fresh and under-leveraged strengths to retail operations: strong digital savviness, social-media comfort, peer influence, and authenticity in voice—assets that matter increasingly to today’s shoppers. These qualities may not show up in classic soft-skills checklists, but they represent a powerful opportunity to modernize customer engagement. In other words: rather than viewing Gen Z through a deficit lens, we should view them as a cohort with distinct strengths—and just a little orientation to the interpersonal side closes the loop.
From what I’ve seen, the soft-skills conversation around Gen Z is often overstated. Many of these employees entered the workforce without the everyday in-person interactions older generations took for granted, so some communication gaps show up on the sales floor. That doesn’t make them less capable. It means the context they grew up in was different.
Most Gen Z associates improve quickly when expectations are clear and the work environment is supportive. They bring valuable strengths to retail, especially comfort with technology, speed in learning new tools, and a strong push for transparency and fairness.
My suggestion is straightforward. Retailers should offer simple, practical training on customer interaction and pair it with operational processes that reduce unnecessary pressure at the counter. When the environment sets them up to succeed, Gen Z becomes an asset, not a challenge.
Short answer- NO. I’ve been equally dismissed by Gen Z clerks, Gen X clerks, and, dare I say, even my Boomer co-generationists. Customer-facing jobs are exhausting, and patience is often the first thing to go after a day of dealing with difficult old guys like me. Gen Z may have a wee bit less experience with challenging interactions; they haven’t been doing this for 30 years. However, to say this is a generational issue is a mistake. As Doug points out Gen Z is being unfairly targeted because they hold more entry-level, store clerk, and customer-facing jobs in the market.
Wasn’t there a book, way back when, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”? I believe there is a lot of truth to that. We should be raising “free-range” children to adequately prepare them for life. Observationally, I haven’t seen much of that in the development of young Gen Zs over the last decades.
I don’t find these sweeping generalizations accurate or helpful. We employ a lot of Gen Z on our teams and none of them have issues with softer skills. We also worked with a lot of Gen Z (and some Gen Alpha) as part often Pacsun youth work – and they were extremely engaging.
I see most in Gen Z having very good communication skills. They will have good careers in the long-run.
But it’s good to remember this generation has largely grown up with social media and texting as an acceptable first line of communication. And so some may need a little more convincing (hopefully first by parents, and not only the workplace) than others prior to prioritize and embrace more developed skills around social cues and in-person communication.
The conversation around Gen Z in the workplace is too often framed by what they “lack,” like the infamous “handshake skills” or “stare.” This completely misses the positive attributes they bring: they are direct, talented, smart, and driven. The issue isn’t that they are incapable; it’s that they refuse to be confined to rigid, often inefficient structures, such as the mandatory 9-to-5 schedule, that previous generations accepted.
We need to ask if the perceived “problem” is actually a mismatch of pace and priorities. We are trying to shoehorn a technologically native, outcomes-focused generation into a traditional retail model that demands scripted performance and adherence to old social norms. Gen Z is here to do the job properly and efficiently, not to participate in unnecessary workplace rituals.