Gen Z’s arrival in the workplace has triggered more anxiety in management circles than a Monday morning all-hands meeting. While older generations struggle to decode acronyms like “no cap” and “it’s giving,” companies are confronting deeper problems: late replies, casual dress codes, blunt communication, and in some cases, the presence of parents at interviews.
In response, several San Francisco employers are hiring etiquette coaches to provide training in hygiene, email writing, and how not to behave like you’re still on FaceTime. But is Gen Z really unprofessional, or are they just playing by a different rulebook?
HR’s Newest Emergency Contact
Let’s start with one of the most baffling trends: parents attending interviews. According to a 2024 survey by Intelligent.com, 12.5% of employers reported that Gen Z applicants brought their parents to interviews. Some even called them in for salary negotiations. For older hiring managers, this wasn’t just bizarre; it was a sign of a full-blown soft-skills crisis.
It’s not that Gen Z lacks ambition. Far from it. It’s that their sense of boundaries is… flexible. Many were raised with strong parental involvement in academics, extracurriculars, and even social lives. So they see nothing odd about asking Dad to “just hop on a call” with HR.
The problem? HR is not ready to deal with a mother who says her child deserves an extra week of paid leave because “they’ve been stressed lately.”
Coaching Gets Real
The workplace hygiene crisis has escalated from whispers in cubicles to actual printed posters in office restrooms. Several San Francisco offices, including high-profile firms and even art institutions like Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts, have put up reminders about basic hygiene: using deodorant, wearing clean clothes, and brushing teeth. Yes, this is real.
Etiquette coaches like Rosalinda Randall and Melissa Franks have been hired to bring back professionalism. Their crash courses cover everything from how to shake hands without crushing bones to why you shouldn’t attend Zoom calls while lying in bed (or worse, from the loo). Some sessions even include how to write an email subject line that doesn’t read like a tweet. Sample: “Need help ASAP plz, lol.”
The coaching sessions typically include:
- How to greet people formally, including handshakes, eye contact, and confident posture
- Email and Slack etiquette: how to write clear, concise, and respectful messages
- Dress code expectations for different industries and how to avoid looking too casual or inappropriate
- Hygiene and personal grooming standards
- Punctuality and time management skills
- How to participate in meetings respectfully: listening, not interrupting, and taking notes
- Understanding hierarchy and how to communicate with senior staff professionally
- Avoiding the use of slang, emojis, and sarcasm in formal communication
And yes, there’s also training on how not to reply to a performance review with a meme.
Gen Z’s Performance Goals
Older managers have reported a common experience: Gen Z employees who expect leadership roles in under 90 days, but also want “quiet quitting” to be recognised as a legitimate form of self-care. One manager joked to The San Francisco Standard that some new hires expect a corner office after figuring out how to set their Outlook calendar.
The dissonance lies in how Gen Z defines success. Many don’t see themselves slowly climbing the corporate ladder. They want impact, visibility, and a raise, ideally all by next Tuesday.
To them, asking “why do I have to do this task?” isn’t insubordination, it’s strategic curiosity. Meanwhile, their bosses are just trying to get through Q2 without crying in the bathroom.
Indian Offices Are Experiencing Their Own Gen Z Awakening
In India, the workplace battle is less about Crocs in the office and more about conflicting value systems. Gen Z hires in Indian start-ups and MNCs are questioning traditional norms, like why attendance is considered a virtue, and why they need to say “Good Morning” to the entire team on WhatsApp at 9 a.m.
Many have demanded mental health leaves, protested against unpaid internships, and ghosted companies during onboarding. In response, Indian HR departments are slowly turning toward soft-skills training, mentorship programs, and communication workshops. Because when your intern tells your CEO that a task is “not aligned with my personal brand,” you know it’s time for an intervention.
The friction is real between the “adjust kar lo” generation and the “I’ll resign on LinkedIn” youth, but Indian offices are learning. Gen Z won’t bend easily, but they will build if you coach them, not control them.
Also Read: Rich And Old Guilt-Trip Gen Z Into Slogging, But The Rebellion Is Here
Confused Honesty
The thing about Gen Z is that they don’t mean to offend. They’re just chronically online and raised in a world where formality often equals fakeness. They don’t see the point of forced smiles in the break room or asking “how was your weekend?” if they don’t care. For them, skipping small talk is efficient, not rude.
And yet, their bluntness often triggers older generations who equate politeness with professionalism. One young engineer at Salesforce told The Standard, “Why should I pretend to care about people who don’t care about me?” That’s not rebellion. That’s raw emotional intelligence mixed with Gen Z-level nihilism.
Coaches like Melissa Franks say Gen Z just needs someone to connect the dots. How casual behaviour might be read as disrespect, how sarcasm doesn’t translate well in formal settings, and how reacting with “ok cool” in a feedback meeting may derail your promotion plans.
Coaching Isn’t A Punishment
The World Economic Forum recently noted that 77% of companies now view soft skills as key to productivity. This isn’t fluff. It’s a response to a changing workforce that values empathy, collaboration, and communication, and knows how to call out a toxic boss on Twitter.
Companies like Salesforce and Stanford Research Park are investing heavily in etiquette workshops and behavioural coaching. Not to discipline, but to translate cultural signals. They want to help Gen Z understand why some behaviours get misread, and also help older generations stop panicking when someone says “slay” during a meeting.
Etiquette coaching is no longer about knowing which fork to use at lunch. It’s about surviving office politics, reading the room, and figuring out when to send an email vs a Slack message. Think of it as the corporate version of finishing school, only this time, there’s a PowerPoint on how not to emoji your way into a warning letter.
Maybe Gen Z Isn’t The Problem After All
For all the finger-pointing and rolled eyes, it’s clear that Gen Z isn’t destroying workplaces. They’re disrupting them. Sure, they might dress like they’re headed to a flea market and ask for raises after attending three meetings. But they also question bad systems, refuse to glorify burnout, and demand boundaries in an era that barely respects them.
Coaching Gen Z is not about turning them into robotic, obedient employees. It’s about helping them express their values in a way others can understand, and helping older generations stop mistaking informality for incompetence. The workplace is evolving. It doesn’t need stricter rules. It needs smarter bridges.
After all, it’s easier to teach someone how to write a proper email than it is to teach empathy, creativity, or the courage to challenge norms. Gen Z already has those. All they need now is someone to tell them, gently, that attending a job interview in a hoodie isn’t “slay,” it’s just confusing.
Images: Google Images
Sources: Firstpost, WION, India Today
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: gen z office culture, workplace etiquette, soft skills training, managing gen z, office humour, etiquette coaches, corporate satire, indian workplace trends, gen z expectations, workplace coaching, professionalism vs authenticity, san francisco companies, indian startups gen z, millennial managers, hr horror stories, generational conflict at work, emotional intelligence at work, gen z hygiene office, linkedin resignation culture
Disclaimer: We do not hold any rights or copyrights over the images used; these were sourced from Google. If the owner requires credit or wishes for removal, please contact us via email.
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