Gen Z workers have been bombarded with a lot of negative comments in regard to their ethics and attitudes in the workplace. One study reported that 45% of hiring managers say Gen Z workers are the worst to manage. The younger employees are criticized for having too many rules, refusing to comply with corporate demands, being oppositional and lacking etiquette, reliability and flexibility. Now, Gen Zers are being advised to “be professionally mean” if you want to climb the career ladder. Is this disturbing message a matter of semantics or an attack on the American workplace?
Gen Z Workers: ‘Be Professionally Mean’ To Succeed
Trending career advice on #CareerTok–a valuable resource for the younger generation–is to become “professionally mean in order to achieve success.” A full 70% of Gen Z use the platform to aid in making decisions on their careers. The youngest generation of workers’ latest advice is to practice “being professionally mean,” which begs the question, is that what they really mean, or is it a matter of semantics?
To the rescue, Amanda Augustine, certified professional career coach at career.io, cites an example in a viral video receiving 360 thousand likes. Augustine mentions TikTok career coach and influencer Emrezkalla, who recommends that in order to boost careers and get a fatter paycheck in 2025, Gen Zers must do three things:
1. Start by practicing being ”professionally mean” in low-stakes situations.
2. Set clear boundaries. Be more direct about what a person can and cannot do at work.
3. Start asking intentional and thoughtful questions without being challenging: “How can we make this more efficient? I suggest we should do X Y Z.”
Augustine weighs in on whether this viral advice is more harmful than useful or if there’s some truth to it. She clarifies the influencer’s intention, saying, “By that, she means becoming ‘assertive, direct and opinionated.’”
Maybe so, but words matter, especially given the context in which the career advice was issued. It’s not the first time that Gen Z have encouraged others to be passive-aggressive at work. Gen Z have been blasted, not for assertiveness, but for oppositional workplace trends like Bare Minimum Mondays, Quiet Quitting and Task Masking.
So, given the context, “professionally mean” sounds rebellious, hostile and oppositional, which seems to send the wrong message. As Augustine quickly points out, there’s a huge difference between being mean and being assertive. “The term ‘professionally mean’ might be misleading and explaining, Augustine declares. “What Em is really advocating for is assertiveness—encouraging professionals to speak up, set boundaries and engage in healthy conflict at work.”
According to Augustine, “Em emphasizes that it’s impossible to be liked by everybody, and there will always be communication challenges with some colleagues,” adding that, “She continues that if a person defines success as being well-liked, they may prefer to continue prioritizing being agreeable instead of assertive.
Do Gen Z Workers Care About Professionalism?
If Gen Z care about professionalism, then it’s important that it be communicated. I spoke to Andrew Roth, founder and CEO of dcdx, who actually did that. He told me that it’s not that Gen Zs don’t care about professionalism. They simply want to be met halfway and receive the same level of respect they give to their employers. That makes total sense.
Hiring managers and employers also must do their part. Science-backed research and case studies show that what Gen Zers ask from employers is reasonable. In order to commit to the companies they work for and flourish in their jobs and careers, they request:
- Stop stereotyping Gen Zs as lazy, unmotivated, difficult and unreliable.
- Understand that Gen Z values and career needs are different from—not inferior to—other generations.
- Refrain from trying to turn the clock back and make Gen Zs fit into an old, outdated work mold.
- Allow Gen Zs the flexibility to have more work-life balance so they don’t burn out and feel more committed to the company and the job.
- Pay high enough salaries to make ends meet in a tough economy along with opportunities for growth in their jobs.
- Put an end to pressure and threatening Gen Zs with job loss so they don’t have to work in the shadows to maintain their mental health.
Speaking for his Gen Z peers, Roth asserts that, “Leadership, culture and the workplace as a whole are now built collaboratively with a push and pull across the threads of an organization—not just a push from the top down. It is this dynamic equilibrium that has become the living, breathing heartbeat of our organization at dcdx and one that I see disrupting the world’s most successful companies,” he explains.
A Final Takeaway For Gen Z Workers
The careless use of words can lead to unintended repercussions as when the controversial “Hey Hanging Trend” swept through workplaces, creating unnecessary anxiety for employees.
Augustine says she believes constructive disagreements can actually drive innovation by challenging assumptions, encouraging diverse perspectives and promoting critical thinking. “That said,” she adds, “it’s not just what you say but how you say it. You don’t need to be a people-pleaser, but being rude won’t help, either. You can—and should—stand by your ideas while maintaining positive working relationships.”
Assertiveness is the midway between passivity and aggressiveness, allowing you to challenge an idea respectfully while keeping the conversation collaborative. The career expert suggests an assertiveness example of saying something like, “I see it a little differently—can I share another approach?”
Augustine points out that the key to success for Gen Z workers lies in finding that balance between assertiveness and respect in today’s workplace. “It’s not about being universally liked,” she explains, “but ensuring your voice is heard.” And if you want to be heard, your careful choice of words is imperative to convey a clear professional message. She concludes that respectful communication and healthy boundaries are crucial for career advancement.