Advertisement
Hong Kong society
Hong KongSociety

Gen Z Hongkongers, shaped by internet, offered office etiquette classes

Exhibition organiser Informa Markets offers lessons on dress codes and communication for digital natives not used to in-person interactions

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Young women using their laptops and phones in a Hong Kong cafe.  Online platforms have been buzzing with discussions about the work culture of Gen Z people. Photo: Sun Yeung
Harvey KongandAngel Woo
Most people may be familiar with the unwritten norms of workplace etiquette, but a company in Hong Kong has decided to offer courses on office manners, including tips on dress codes and body language, for the “digital natives” of Gen Z.

Online platforms have been buzzing with discussions about the work culture of Gen Z people born between 1997 and 2012, who grew up in the internet age and were forced to attend school classes online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Threads, one user who identified as a millennial – those born between 1981 and 1996 – described the struggles of managing Gen Z employees.

Advertisement

“I have encountered some challenges when it comes to managing Gen Z [employees]. Some told me they cannot imagine not being able to work from home, while some said they do not want to get promoted but want to find meaning from work,” he said.

“I don’t want to generalise Gen Z, but can any Gen Z tell me, what are you looking for in your career?”

Advertisement

One Gen Z user replied, saying that “work should not occupy [one’s] entire life” and it was meaningless to be loyal to any single company.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x