Kill, Serve, Survive: How Gen Z Is Rewriting the Rules of Work | Fashion

FFor many of us, sending an out-of-office message is one of the last things we do before heading off on holiday. It’s usually a concise message stating that you’re on annual leave and who to contact in your absence. But for some Gen Z workers, an out-of-office message becomes another way to add a little spice to work culture; a way to showcase their personality, as well as their approach to the office.

As summer is in full swing and offices temporarily empty to let people enjoy their vacations, social media is full of examples. On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never come back, reads one. The bad news is I’m not in the office anymore. The good news is I’m not in the office anymore, reads another. Another cheekily declares: Contact literally anyone but me.

While some are designed for virality and shared by employees of marketing firms that specialize in amplifying social media posts for brands, this is a trend that is seeping into the broader world of work.

Gen Z is accustomed to informality in its communication and socializing styles, often preferring a wittier approach to messages that get to the point and speak volumes about its priorities, says Mervyn Dinnen, author of two books on workplace culture and an HR expert.

Gracie Board, head of marketing at Zenif, a brand development agency, says the company has embraced the trend internally, explaining that it’s all about humor. Some staples include “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Not me,” while emails start with, “I hope this email doesn’t go down well with you. If anyone has seen our TikTok, they’ll know that we’re a young, energetic team, and we all get along really well,” Board says. “We work in a very fast-paced environment, so we’re always looking for ways to brighten people’s day. No one on our team would ever take it the wrong way.”

It’s a trend their older colleagues may have to adjust to. And it’s a topic that will be highlighted with the return next month of the hit TV series Industry, which depicts the generational divide between characters such as young, rule-breaking trader Harper Stern and her more traditional boss Eric Tao.

Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, is expected to make up around 27% of the workforce by next year. While older generations code-switch at work to formal language, Gen Z doesn’t, Mark McCrindle, co-author of the book Work Wellbeing, told the BBC. “We’re starting to really break down those barriers between our work and our personal or social lives,” McCrindle said. “We’re working from home or in a mobile work environment, which naturally creates a more relaxed workplace.”

Reddit is full of posts lamenting these generational differences. Email signatures are a particular place for variation. Instead of Best Wishes and Sincerely, some Gen Zers prefer Kill, Serve, Survive or, for a particularly difficult day, Big Sigh.

There are also more bureaucratic differences, such as complaints about younger employees not checking their emails outside their contracted hours, those who prefer to have video calls rather than office meetings, and staff who leave work on time to enjoy their free time. Evening routine from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m..

These complaints about Gen Z may be partly motivated by envy. Older millennials grew up in a work-from-home culture in the early 2000s. Remote work didn’t exist, and working through lunch and finishing late became the norm. So it’s understandable that when a Gen Z colleague sets boundaries, it might annoy some older colleagues.

According to Dinnen, Gen Z prefers collaborative environments. In my experience, they value flexibility and work-life balance, and reject formality. Older generations tend to favor more formal structures and approaches in the workplace. Yet, he says, they should view a preference for informality as an opportunity to create more open and inclusive cultures.

Board notes other differences in how younger generations work. All Gen Zers have to put a smiley face at the end of their emails or they come across as rude, she says. It’s really about pleasing others and not wanting to offend anyone. Millennials have advanced their careers in a more professional environment, while Gen Zers are trying to free themselves from the pressures of work and enjoy it more.

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