According to a survey by Anphabe Company, Gen Z today is ready to "abandon" a work environment that is unfair, unstructured and not suitable for the value of employees.
Gen Z grew up in the context of economic instability, social fairness movements and increasing concern for mental health. They not only want jobs but they want a working environment that promotes psychological safety, transparency and fairness.
However, many companies still maintain outdated management thinking - rigid hierarchy, unclear expectations and vague career development roadmaps. If leaders lack transparency, respond late or unfairly, Gen Z will not accept and silently endure.
Traditional leadership models are no longer suitable for Gen Z
Leadership models that were effective with the previous generation are no longer suitable today. Take the example of transformational leadership - focusing on vision and motivation. Sounds attractive but lacks the psychological safety that Gen Z desires. Service leadership - emphasizing employee concern, can also fail if lacking structure and clarity.
Gen Z not only needs an attractive leader who can inspire, they need fairness, clear expectations and truly listening leaders. When these factors are not present, indifference is inevitable.
Empathic and connected leadership model: Kindness, fairness, structure
According to Anphabe Company, the leadership model helps retain and motivate Gen Z by focusing on three essential factors:
Leaders who are truly concerned and empathetic will build trust and psychological safety. Employees will be more connected when they feel appreciated, not only as a worker but also as a person.
Gen Z expects fairness in promotion, salary and development opportunities. If they feel there is bias or lack of transparency, they will lose motivation.
Gen Z needs clarity in expectations, consistent feedback and transparent decision-making processes to eliminate ambiguity leading to disappointment. Note that structure does not mean rigidity - but consistency.
In short, Gen Z does not silently quit their jobs, they actively choose a place to invest their energy. If leaders do not change, the indifferentness of employees is not difficult to understand but is an inevitable consequence. But with companies that value kindness, fairness and structure, Gen Z not only stays but also develops strongly.
