Bridging Generational Gaps at Work

“Younger employees just don’t communicate the same way.”

It’s a comment we’ve heard more than once. When you look more closely at the return-to-office debate, the tension often comes down to comfort levels and what is the perceived 'norm' of different generations. Different generations have grown up with different ways of connecting, learning and working.

For many senior professionals, face-to-face time and the “osmosis” of learning in the office are core to how they developed their skills and careers. The office isn’t just a place to work; it’s a place to grow.

Meanwhile, younger employees are fluent in async tools, digital collaboration and remote autonomy. They’ve built their working habits around technology, not geography.

Neither approach is better; it’s simply a shift in skill sets. And as those evolve, so too must leadership, communication and organisational culture.

Right now, it can feel like there’s a tug of war between generations. Some leaders want to return to a familiar rhythm, the way the workplace “should” operate because that’s how it shaped them. Others, often younger employees, are comfortable leading through screens, learning via digital platforms and managing their own flow of work.

So, when Gen Z begins to take up leadership roles, what will we carry forward and what will we let go?

Perhaps it’s time to swap the tug of war for a three-legged race. Less pulling in opposite directions, more finding a rhythm together. Because the future of work isn’t about winning; it’s about moving forward, side by side.