Gen Zers need corporate America 101

Did your first-ever day of work entail being severely overdressed, underprepared, and sweaty?

Just us on that last one? Cool. Anyway: Recent classes of undergraduates have entered corporate America in a very different fashion than previous generations.

Rather than heating up a Tupperware of leftovers in an office kitchen while making small talk with Kathy from accounting, many Gen Zers are logging in to work from the comfort of their homes.

That can be great — but it also leads to unique challenges, per The Wall Street Journal:

• Post-pandemic grads may struggle with workplace etiquette.
• Young employees have missed out on working alongside mentors and senior leadership.
• Presenting or networking in person can be challenging after years of speaking only on Zoom.

Class is in session

To solve Gen Z’s workplace woes, some companies and universities have rolled out classes to help young professionals navigate the quirks of corporate America.

• Companies like KPMG, Deloitte, Protiviti, and PwC are providing training to new hires on topics such as conducting in-person conversations and maintaining eye contact.
• Michigan State University has started offering courses to its business majors on practical workplace skills, from introducing yourself and networking to reading body language.

Companies are also learning where their digital-native but office-naive employees might need extra hand-holding, like with office dress codes: e.g., providing updated documentation for ambiguous terms like “business casual”.

Now, repeat after us: “Can you all see my screen?”