If you are a millennial, part of gen X or a boomer, you probably do not give a second thought to picking up the phone to talk to someone or chit-chatting beside the office water cooler. But for gen Z, those common workplace moments are a huge source of anxiety.
According to a study released this week, early mornings, working with older colleagues and making small talk are just some of the things employees born between 1997 and 2012 dread.
The study, commissioned by Trinity College London, surveyed more than 1,500 people aged between 16 and 29 across the UK. It found that 38% of young people dread having to make small talk in the workplace. Almost 60% said they would struggle to work with older colleagues while 30% feared picking up the phone.
Here, experts share their tips on how to overcome gen Z’s biggest anxieties.
Telephobia
“There’s a massive skill to learning to make calls,” says Liz Baxter, a careers adviser at Nottingham College who runs coaching sessions on phone confidence. She says demand for the college’s “telephobia” course is high.
While previous generations grew up having no option but to pick up the phone, Baxter says texting, online booking platforms and AI customer service have made making a phone call one of the biggest generational divides.
Baxter explains confidence comes with practice. She suggests calling friends and family first “to practise the ebb and flow of a two-way conversation in real time”.
Baxter stresses the importance of sitting up straight, speaking slowly and smiling as “the caller will hear it in your voice”.
Sophie Rains, a customer support and experience manager who manages a call centre, says that before dialling you should jot down “what the purpose of your call is and any relevant information. That way if you get nervous or confused you can refer back to your notes.”
If someone is rude or angry, Rains says: “I usually let them vent and eventually they run out of steam and are often a bit calmer.”
Rains says to remember not to take anything personally. “You don’t know what is going on in the caller’s life, or you might have caught them at a bad time.”
Colleagues and office chit-chat
Rather than fearing encounters with new people, Marie O’Riordan, an executive coach, suggests viewing it as an adventure, with many people making lifelong friends through work.
The former editor-in-chief of Marie Claire and Elle UK, who now specialises in helping women transition into leadership roles, says small talk can often lead to other opportunities.
She suggests starting with workplace topics such as how long someone has been with the company, rather than subjects such as someone’s home life, which could be considered too personal.
“Gen Z often underestimate how flattering it is to be asked questions,” O’Riordan says. “It shows a generosity and you can learn so much from other people.”
Early birds
If you need to set an early alarm, Dr Radha Modgil, the author of Know Your Own Power: Inspiration, Motivation and Practical Tools for Life, suggests treating yourself as if you were a child going back to school after the summer holidays. In the weeks leading up to a new job, start by bringing your bedtime and getting-up time forward.
For an efficient morning routine, take your start time and work backwards. “Look at travel timetables. Get your work clothes ready the night before. Lay out your breakfast,” Modgil says. “These are things that all sound very simple but they help prepare you and can reduce anxiety.”
According to the report, 28% of gen Z favoured flexible working hours and no emails after 6pm, while 32% wanted mental health days as standard. A desire to work from home was expressed by 68% of the respondents. Modgil says a lot of trepidation stems from gen Z feeling like the workplace will be detrimental to their wellbeing.
Modgil suggests treating each month like a marathon and coming up with a plan. “It helps to pace yourself so that you can be present and have the mental and emotional energy to work effectively.”
