🧡 Stop Managing “Generations.” Start Motivating People.

Hello & Happy Thursday!

If you’ve been in the workplace for more than a decade, you’ve probably lived through at least one cycle of “the next generation is a problem” headlines. I remember when millennials were the target of every think piece. We were called entitled, lazy, and obsessed with instant gratification. Sound familiar?

Now Gen Z is in the hot seat. Depending on who you ask, they want promotions too soon, don’t understand how the workplace “really” works, or expect too much feedback. (We wrote alllll about this a few weeks back). The story is familiar because it’s the same one we’ve heard before, just with a new cast.

That’s why I’m so glad to share today’s newsletter, written by our regular contributor, Alejandra Ramirez. Her perspective is refreshing because she challenges the very premise of these stereotypes. Instead of asking what one generation wants, she invites us to look deeper at what motivates people as individuals.

Her framework is practical and human, and it reminded me how damaging it can be when we flatten entire groups of people into one-size-fits-all categories. At the end of the day, our job as people leaders isn’t to manage generations. It’s to understand what our employees value, create systems that make growth visible, and train managers to have real conversations about progress.

I hope Alejandra’s words help you pause the next time you hear a sweeping generalization about Gen Z. More importantly, I hope they give you tangible ideas for how to create clarity, recognition, and impact for the employees on your team, no matter their birth year.

Yours in looking beyond labels, 

Jill

P.S. Alejandra has an amazing company, Ready Cultures, where supports companies like yours in creating stellar internal communication strategies – and she’s offering WTWT readers a free 20-minute consultation! We highly recommend connecting with her about ways to align your communications and actions.

P.P.S. She has this amazing step-by-step worksheet to create a communication strategy for your next announcement.

Stop Managing “Generations.” Start Motivating People. With Alejandra Ramirez.

Years ago, when I was still working in-house, I attended a session about how to work across generations. My generation, millennials, were still the youngest group in the workplace at the time. Most of the discussion focused on how managers should handle this new generation that was supposedly different from those who came before.

One moment has stayed with me ever since. The facilitator explained that generational categories do not always apply neatly. For example, if your parents were immigrants, you may not identify with the generational mold that others expect. That landed for me in a personal way. My mom is an immigrant, and I grew up as a third culture kid. My outlook on work never fully matched the millennial stereotype that filled the headlines.

That experience was the beginning of a realization that I already felt deep down: People are not defined by their birth year. They are shaped by their upbringing, their cultural background, their family expectations, their personalities, and the context of their lives. 

When we flatten entire groups of people into one-size-fits-all generational categories, we miss what actually motivates them.

Today, the same conversation has resurfaced, only now it is directed at Gen Z.

The Déjà Vu of Generational Stereotypes

If you were working when we millennials first entered the workforce, you may remember the tone of the media coverage:

• Time magazine dubbed us the “Me Me Me Generation”, calling us lazy, entitled, and obsessed with ourselves. Headlines warned we were job-hoppers who craved constant praise after being coddled by our parents.

In other words, we were framed as a problem to manage rather than as people to understand.

Fast forward a decade, and the same narrative is unfolding with Gen Z. The criticism is different in wording but similar in spirit. 

This time the accusation is that Gen Z wants promotions too quickly, that they are impatient, and that they do not understand how the workplace functions.

These broad brushstrokes repeat every time a new generation enters the workforce. The details change but the underlying story is the same.

What Employees Are Really Asking For

If your Gen Z employees are asking for promotions before they are due, that’s a sign to listen more carefully to what they are actually expressing. (More on what Gez Z really wants here). 

Beneath the surface requests are a few deeper needs.

• Clarity: Employees want to know what growth looks like. They want to understand the rules of the game and how to move forward.

• Recognition: Promotions are shorthand for being seen. They represent an acknowledgement of value and contribution.

• Impact: People want to feel that their work matters. The sooner they can connect effort to outcome, the more invested they will be.

These needs are not unique to one generation. They are human needs that cross age groups. The problem arises when promotions are the only visible signal that those needs are being met. In many organizations, career paths and progression systems are hidden or vague. That means employees focus on promotions because they do not see any other markers of advancement.

Thinking in Personas Instead of Generations

Generational labels are clumsy tools for understanding motivation. A more useful approach is to think in terms of personas.

Personas are profiles based on what motivates someone in their work. They cut across generations and allow leaders to tailor communication and growth opportunities more effectively. A simple set might look like this:

• The Ladder Climber: Motivated by status, titles, and a clear upward trajectory.

• The Skill Collector: Motivated by variety, lateral moves, and the opportunity to master new things.

• The Legacy Builder: Motivated by stability, tenure, and making a long-term impact.

You will find each of these personas across all generations. Some Gen Xers are Skill Collectors. Some millennials are Legacy Builders. Plenty of Gen Z employees are Ladder Climbers.

When you stop asking “What does this generation want?” and start asking “Which persona am I talking to and how do I communicate growth in a way that resonates?”, you get a more accurate and actionable view.

Closing the Communication Gap

Promotions loom so large in these conversations because they are often the only clear symbol of progression. That creates a gap. If employees don’t see other signals of advancement, they assume promotions are the only option.

Here are practical ways organizations can close that gap:

1. Audit career paths

• Make sure career ladders are clear and accessible.

• Eliminate jargon and publish them in places employees can actually find.

2. Create micro-progression signals

• Recognize when employees complete certifications, lead a project, or master a new skill.

• Celebrate those moments in team meetings, newsletters, or intranet posts.

3. Train managers on growth conversations

• Do not leave career conversations solely to HR.

• Equip managers with simple questions and frameworks for regular discussions.

4. Refresh feedback loops

• Annual performance reviews are too slow.

• Introduce lightweight check-ins, peer recognition tools, or monthly feedback moments.

5. Broaden the definition of growth

• Growth does not only mean a title change.

• Highlight lateral moves, increased responsibility, broader influence, or expanded scope as legitimate progress.

A Culture Mirror

One way to think about Gen Z is as a mirror reflecting the culture they grew up in. This generation came of age in environments defined by instant feedback and visible progress. Social media likes, gamification, streaks, and progress bars shaped how they understand recognition.

Now imagine stepping into a workplace where recognition only comes once a year in a performance review. The mismatch is obvious. The impatience often attributed to Gen Z is really a reaction to a system that is out of sync with the environment they know.

Rather than dismissing them, organizations can update communication and recognition practices so that growth feels continuous and transparent.

A Playbook for HR and Leaders

If you are in HR or a leadership role, here is a simple playbook you can use.

Step 1: Diagnose

• Run a quick survey or hold focus groups. 

• Ask employees if they understand how to advance and what signals of progress matter to them.

Step 2: Clarify

• Publish career ladders in plain language.

• Create visuals or one-page guides for each path.

Step 3: Communicate

• Make growth part of regular rhythms.

• Encourage managers to hold regular check-ins.

• Share success stories of progression in company communications.

Step 4: Diversify Recognition

• Promotions are one tool. Add others like badges, milestone celebrations, or expanded project scope.

Step 5: Guide Managers

• Provide scripts and toolkits.

• Make career conversations part of manager performance expectations.

By following these steps, the sense of “impatience” often fades. Employees feel seen and valued because progression is visible in multiple ways.

Closing Thought 

The lesson I learned years ago about immigrant backgrounds still holds: each person’s story is a mix of culture, class, caregiving duties, and personal history. . 

→ A first-generation college graduate may feel pressure to advance quickly in order to justify their investment.

→ A caregiver might prioritize flexibility over promotions.

→ A neurodivergent employee may value role clarity over titles.

When leaders reduce these varied realities into a single “Gen Z mindset,” they miss what actually drives people. 

So when you hear someone say that Gen Z wants promotions too quickly, pause before accepting the stereotype. Look instead at what your systems and managers are communicating about growth. Ask whether employees can see a future for themselves in your organization.

Because the real risk is not impatience. The real risk is invisibility. When employees cannot picture where they are headed, they start picturing themselves somewhere else.

THINGS WE'RE LOVING RIGHT NOW

An abundance of templates! There is nothing we love more than a head start when creating a new company resource, policy or process. One of our absolute go-to starting points for this is Notion’s Marketplace - specifically the HR, startup operations and AI categories. If you’ve never browsed, we highly recommend giving it a peek!

A new favorite app. A few months ago, I (Jill) downloaded a new app called Epiphany that was built for on-the go idea capture. It’s been an absolute game changer. I click the icon to open it, and immediately a voice recording starts where I can capture my thoughts, then easily send that note to the platform of my choice, whether Notion, email, etc. There is a subscription fee, but I personally find it worth every penny!

The best “end of day” question. Lately, I’ve been asking myself one specific question to end each workday: “What's something nice I can do for tomorrow Jill?” Sometimes it's answering an email I've been avoiding. Or making a to-do list, so I feel clear about where to start in the morning. And every once in a while, the answer is shutting down my computer and really checking out for the night.

So my question to you is... "What is one small thing you can do tonight that will set tomorrow you up for a great day?"