New research from Copenhagen Business School challenges widespread stereotypes about Gen Z as demanding and difficult employees. A CBS lecturer argues the negative labeling is exaggerated and driven by a management consulting industry eager to create problems, while both young workers and industry experts say focusing on generational divides misses the bigger picture of individual needs across all ages.
Research Challenges Gen Z Stereotypes in Danish Workplaces
Generation Z has been labeled as curlingbørn, overly sensitive, and challenging to manage since entering the Danish labor market. The generation, born roughly between the mid-1990s and 2010, now represents nearly 30 percent of all wage earners in Denmark. That marks a fourfold increase in just ten years.
A new research study from Copenhagen Business School questions whether these widespread perceptions hold up to scrutiny. The study, conducted by lecturer Peter Holdt Christensen, involved interviews with employees and managers from seven Danish workplaces across the country. His conclusion is clear: Gen Z does not stand out as much as many believe.
Management Industry Creates Unnecessary Problems
Christensen points to what he calls a large management fashion industry that benefits from portraying generational differences as problematic. The demand for courses in generational leadership has grown in recent years, with leaders seeking help managing employees from different age groups. However, Christensen argues this approach is fundamentally flawed.
The research shows that preferences often attributed to Gen Z, such as workplace flexibility and more remote work days, are actually shared by older employees. These desires reflect the times we live in rather than generational characteristics. Christensen firmly believes workplaces should stop managing people differently based on their birth year.
Real Differences Exist But Not Where Expected
The CBS research does acknowledge some genuine differences among workers of different ages. For example, roughly one in three young people entering the job market today has no experience with student jobs. This lack of prior work experience can affect their initial adjustment to Danish work culture.
Nevertheless, Christensen warns against cutting an entire generation with the same scissors. Individual differences within generations are far greater than differences between them. He suggests that life phases matter more than birth years when understanding employee needs and behaviors.
Young Workers Reject Special Treatment
The stereotypes about Gen Z being particularly demanding find little support among young workers themselves. Amalie Smidt, a 22-year-old youth minister at Coop representing approximately 25,000 young employees, rejects the notion that her generation requires special accommodation.
All Generations Need Recognition and Respect
Smidt argues that most people, regardless of age, become quiet when criticized and appreciate recognition for good work. These basic human needs cross generational boundaries. She sees no reason why Gen Z should be singled out as especially sensitive or difficult.
The Coop youth minister does believe different generations can learn from each other. Younger employees should absorb experience and knowledge from older colleagues. At the same time, older workers need to make space for new ideas and remain open to changing established routines.
Success Stories Show Mutual Benefits
Smidt points to examples where giving young employees room to innovate has paid off for Danish businesses. She mentions Martin Hovaldt Jørgensen, a Dagli’ Brugsen employee in Gjerlev who became known for sharing entertaining videos from his workday. His manager listened to what he found engaging and gave him freedom to express himself.
This approach creates motivation for extra effort, according to Smidt. When young workers feel heard and trusted, they respond with increased engagement. However, she emphasizes the importance of viewing people as individuals rather than simply as members of a generation.
Industry Experts Defend Value of Generational Understanding
Not everyone agrees that generational categories should be abandoned. Betina Liliendal, an independent consultant and business advisor specializing in cross-generational collaboration and leadership, argues that understanding generational patterns provides valuable context for workplace dynamics.
Formative Years Shape Workplace Expectations
Liliendal acknowledges that people are more than their generation but insists that formative years shape important patterns. Different generations grew up with different family structures, educational systems, and relationships with technology. These experiences influence workplace expectations and behaviors in meaningful ways.
She identifies specific characteristics among Gen Z workers entering Danish workplaces today. They expect equality with colleagues regardless of position, have clear expectations about what work should provide them, and place different emphasis on personal development compared to older generations. Liliendal does not view these traits negatively.
Skills Misinterpreted as Demands
What older workers sometimes perceive as Gen Z being extra demanding may actually reflect different skills, according to Liliendal. Young workers today are particularly good at checking in with their own feelings and needs. This ability comes from how they were raised and educated.
Many workers over 50 interpret this self-awareness as problematic or high-maintenance. However, Liliendal argues it represents a valuable capability that workplaces should recognize and utilize. The challenge lies in adjusting expectations rather than fixing young workers.
Vocational Sectors Report Mixed Experiences
While research and young employees themselves push back against negative Gen Z stereotypes, some sectors report ongoing challenges. The skilled trades, including painting and construction, present a more complex picture of generational integration.
Motivation Varies Widely Among Apprentices
Master painters like Kurt Skovdal and Arne Kristensen describe widely varying experiences with young apprentices. Some prove highly motivated, achieving success in national and international competitions before becoming valuable employees. Others struggle with the transition from school to demanding physical work.
Kristensen uses short-term annual contracts to assess apprentice motivation before committing to full training programs. This pragmatic approach allows him to identify serious candidates while managing business risks. Most apprentices who complete training with his company go on to independent success.
Structural Factors Complicate Recruitment
The painting trade faces specific recruitment challenges as Danish parents increasingly push children toward academic rather than vocational paths. This societal pressure thins the pool of passionate candidates for skilled trades. Those who do enter apprenticeships sometimes lack the commitment needed for physically demanding work.
Skovdal notes that today’s generation holds onto their rights more firmly, sometimes demanding time off even when it disrupts business efficiency. An apprentice might refuse a short extra task to avoid making a return trip, prioritizing personal convenience over workplace needs. These behaviors fuel perceptions of entitlement, even as successful examples demonstrate the stereotype’s limitations.
Life Phases Offer Alternative Framework
The debate over how to understand workplace differences has led to alternative frameworks. Rather than focusing on generational categories, some researchers propose organizing around life phases.
Shared Circumstances Create Common Needs
A 25-year-old parent with children may have more in common with a 45-year-old parent than with a childless peer of the same age. Both face similar challenges balancing work and family responsibilities. Both need workplace flexibility for school pickups, sick days, and family commitments.
This life phase approach, advocated by CBS researcher Christensen, shifts focus from birth year to current circumstances. It recognizes that people’s workplace needs change throughout their careers based on family status, health, financial situation, and career stage rather than generational membership.
Combining Multiple Perspectives
Liliendal argues that life phases and generational understanding complement rather than contradict each other. Workplaces should consider where employees are in their lives while also recognizing patterns from their formative years. Educational background, family structure during childhood, and technological immersion all matter alongside current circumstances.
Amalie Smidt from Coop takes a similar balanced view. She supports ongoing discussion about generational differences because it increases understanding. However, she cautions against rigid categories that prevent seeing individuals clearly. Workplaces must recognize that a new generation brings new needs while still treating each person uniquely.
Workplace Demographics Shift Rapidly
The composition of Danish workplaces has changed dramatically in recent years. Baby boomers and Generation X no longer form a majority of workers. This demographic shift creates both challenges and opportunities for Danish businesses.
Multiple Generations Work Side by Side
Today’s Danish workplaces often include four distinct generations working together. Baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 remain active in senior roles. Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, occupies middle management and experienced worker positions. Millennials or Generation Y, born between 1981 and 1996, have established themselves across various levels.
Generation Z’s rapid growth to nearly 30 percent of the workforce represents the most dramatic recent change. The oldest members of this generation, now in their late twenties, are moving beyond entry-level positions. Meanwhile, Generation Alpha, born after 2010, will begin entering workplaces within the next few years.
Adaptation Required From All Sides
This multigenerational environment requires adjustment from everyone involved. Younger workers must learn from experienced colleagues and respect established practices where appropriate. Older workers need to welcome new perspectives and remain open to changing long-held routines.
The successful integration of Generation Z depends less on special management techniques than on fundamental good practices. Clear communication, mutual respect, individual recognition, and flexibility benefit employees of all ages. These basic principles apply whether workers were born in 1955 or 2005.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Danish Work Culture 12 Tips for Success from a Dane
The Danish Dream: Best Career Coaches in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Forsker afliver myten om gen Z som krævende curlingbørn
Malermestre: Derfor har vi lærlinge vi vil præge de unges stolthed
