6 Things Millennials Can Learn From Their Gen Z Colleagues

Millennials have had the floor for a while now — you’ve survived dial-up, made skinny jeans a personality trait and turned side hustles into a lifestyle. But Gen Z has entered the group chat, and the Slack channel, and they’re shaking things up with their unapologetic boundaries, digital fluency and no-nonsense attitude toward the workplace. And guess what? They’ve got a few things worthy of sharing. 

If you’re ready to level up your work life and maybe even earn some extra cool points along the way, here’s what you can learn from the TikTok generation without downloading the app. 

Millennials have been trained to think that working nonstop equals success. Gen Z is flipping that idea on its head. They’re more likely to set clear work-life boundaries, such as stating clear expectations for their work life, and stick to them. This generation understands that logging off isn’t lazy, it’s smart.

Setting boundaries isn’t only about managing your time, it’s about managing your energy. Millennial friends, maybe it’s time to let go of the guilt and start putting your own time first. 

While millennials are hustling, Gen Z is taking a moment to define a “soft life” at work. They prioritize balance over burnout, advocating for roles that bring joy, not stress. The “soft life” is one rooted in mental health and sustainability.

Gen Z is redefining success by asking, “Is this job aligned with my life goals?” They’re showing millennials that working hard doesn’t mean sacrificing well-being. They are also embracing remote working more than other generations, which means they have more control over their work lives than before. If they can embrace the soft life while thriving professionally, you can, too. 

Gen Z is asking for transparency, and they’re getting it. From salary ranges to company values, this generation demands clarity. They care about the ethical standards of their employers. They’re not shy about asking tough questions to ensure their values align with the company. For millennials, this is a shift from “We don’t talk about money,” to “I deserve to know what I’m walking into.”

It’s time to follow suit: ask questions, set expectations and be transparent in your own work. If you’re unsure how best to do it, try rehearsing your pitches to perfect your negotiation skills.

Gen Zers put mental health at the front and center of their work lives. Millennials have long been told to “push through” stress, but Gen Z knows that it’s OK to take mental health days to help prevent burnout before it happens and ask for help.

Emotional wellness is essential, not optional. Instead of being a “badge of honor,” stress should be seen as a red flag. It’s time for millennials to stop wearing exhaustion like a crown and start treating mental health with the seriousness it deserves. 

Gen Z uses their platforms to demand change. From advocating for racial justice to pushing for more equitable hiring practices, they speak up when something’s wrong.

Millennials can learn from Gen Z by using their platforms, both online and in person, to promote the causes that matter to them. Being quiet isn’t a virtue — it’s a missed opportunity to make a difference.

Gen Z prefers progress over perfection. While millennials may obsess over getting every detail perfect, Gen Z is focused on getting things done and improving along the way. Gen Z tends to enjoy evolution and trusts that through creation and adjusting, they will improve. If you’re a perfectionist, you can try creating a “clone” of yourself that would act in the ideal way for a situation and then follow that lead. 

This mindset helps you push forward without being paralyzed by fear of imperfection. If millennials embraced this mindset, they’d free up time and energy for the things that matter. Stop aiming for perfection and start aiming for progress.