In fact, Gen Z professionals are 16 times more likely to say they don’t trust their coworkers, compared to Gen X employees, according to the Workday report.
Even when they do talk with colleagues, the chit-chat is limited to to-do lists and deadlines. More than four in 10 Gen Z staffers rarely or never have conversations with coworkers about anything other than work-related topics. And it’s sowing distrust among the youngest working cohort.
“We’re living in a world where we’re hyper-connected online and yet experiencing high rates of loneliness and anxiety. Gen Z might simply be feeling this mismatch most acutely,” Carrie Varoquiers, chief impact officer at Workday, tells Fortune. “They’ve grown up with powerful digital tools, including social media, and now they may be in the type of work environments that they feel don’t give them many opportunities for meaningful connection.
Over a third of the Gen Zers surveyed said they don’t have colleagues that they can trust enough to speak with about personal issues. However, it’s not for a lack of trying—the study suggests their workplace integration dilemma may be largely out of their control.
Many digital natives started their careers during the pandemic, clocking in from the couch instead of learning the ropes in the office. Without that early practice, it’s more difficult to acclimate to a post-COVID work environment different from that of their parents’.
Gen Z’s disconnect from the workplace is not only hurting their mental health—it’s also inhibiting their ability to show up for the job.
The young employees are nearly eight times as likely as Gen X to feel lonely at work, with one in five reporting feeling lonely on the job often or very often. And they’re much more prone to point to AI as a reason for their social struggles, as opposed to their older colleagues.
Currently, 39% of Gen Z staffers find it difficult to make friends on the job; to cope with their lack of belonging, a fifth have taken time off due to loneliness or isolation within the past year.
Gen Zers have picked up a bad rap at work, branded a “lazy” generation of employees who love to log in from the couch, embracing casual dress codes, and pushing back against work after 5 p.m.
However, some business leaders are calling out the unique circumstances Gen Z are up against.
Multimillionaire podcaster Mel Robbins echoed that older generations wouldn’t know what it’s like to navigate adulthood in the 2025, with homeownership being “out of reach,” the generational wealth gap widening, and student loan debt piling up.
“They’re now in the middle of a recession, in hybrid work. The world is shifting, the landscape is shifting,” she continued. “If you feel lost, I’m not surprised. This is exactly how you should feel.”
Varoquiers calls on bosses to stop turning a blind eye to Gen Z employees and be part of the change. The Workday executive recommends using AI to remove friction from everyday work life, while being careful not to stifle office relationships. And by freeing up more time from those tech efficiencies, employers have a window to thoughtfully strengthen relational skills among their staffers.
“For leaders, I think it’s important to listen to what Gen Z is telling us about the modern workplace,” Varoquiers continues. “It should be part of every leader’s job to protect time for mentoring, cross-generational collaboration, and real conversations.”
