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Many companies have fired Gen Z workers just months after hiring them and are hesitant to hire recent college graduates due to concerns about their work ethic, communication skills, and readiness to tackle the job, according to a new survey.
The poll of nearly 1,000 hiring managers taken in August from Intelligent.com, which reviews college programs, found that among firms that had hired recent graduates, only 25% stated that all recent college graduate hires worked out well. Among the rest, 62% indicated only some were successful while 14% reported that only a few or none of the hires were successful.
The most frequently cited reasons for why these hires didn’t work out were:
- Lack of motivation or initiative, cited by 50%
- Lack of professionalism, cited by 46%
- Poor communication skills, cited by 39%
- Struggles with feedback, cited by 38%
- Inadequate problem-solving abilities, cited by 34%.
About 65% of surveyed hiring managers feel that recent college graduates exhibit a sense of entitlement, while 63% believe they tend to get offended too easily. Six in 10 employers have already let go of recent college graduates this year, while one in seven are inclined to refrain from hiring new graduates next year.
“Many recent college graduates may struggle with entering the workforce for the first time as it can be a huge contrast from what they are used to throughout their education journey,” Intelligent’s chief education and career development adviser, Huy Nguyen, said in the report. “They are often unprepared for a less structured environment, workplace cultural dynamics, and the expectation of autonomous work.”
Nearly 20% of the surveyed hiring managers said new workers often arrive late to work and fail to meet assignment deadlines.
“Although they may have some theoretical knowledge from college, they often lack the practical, real-world experience and soft skills required to succeed in the work environment. These factors, combined with the expectations of seasoned workers, can create challenges for both recent grads and the companies they work for,” said Nguyen.
The Gen Z generation already has a stereotype of being lazy or uncooperative in the workplace, with other recent surveys showing similar findings.
Some experts blame Gen Z’s awkward steps into the workforce on the education system for “not preparing students for real-world work.”
“Education today emphasizes theory over practice. Sure, learning Greek mythology is fascinating, but unless you’re teaching it, how does that prepare you to communicate effectively in a corporate meeting or demonstrate professionalism? It doesn’t,” HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek.
However, he still faulted employers for lacking the patience to train workers. Driscoll said, “Instead of teaching new hires what they want from them, employers are simply firing workers for not being prepared. It's a cyclical issue that reflects systemic failure on multiple levels.”
In a column for HR Digest, writer Ava Martinez said that although Gen Zers may seem to be entitled and easily offended to hiring managers, it “may also be a result of the generation of workers speaking up about their preferences rather than silently struggling like the rest of us have learned to do.”
She believes employers will have to step up training investments with Gen Z set to make up around 30% of the workforce by 2025, but she also pointed out that Gen Z workers “have to learn to take initiative for their work and their careers and show employers why they belong in the workforce.”
Intelligent.com's Nguyen believes employers have a responsibility to help Gen Z succeed in the workforce. He said in the study, “By understanding the challenges of Gen Z workers, companies can take a more proactive approach by implementing formal employee onboarding programs that clearly outline company culture and expectations. Paring recent grads with mentors in the company can also pay huge dividends as that can provide Gen Z workers with the guidance, feedback, and support for them to succeed.”