Gen Z employees are struggling to feel seen at work

When it comes to speaking up, younger workers don’t think their employer is listening.

More than three quarters of Gen Z employees feel they’re being ignored by their manager, according to a study by UKG Workforce Institute, a workplace education think tank. Just 16% feel they can express their opinions to leaders in their organization and 42% fear there will be negative consequences for doing so.

While older workers feel they have more leeway in speaking up about workplace issues, 86% agree that not all employees are heard fairly, UKG found. Forty percent of all employees did not feel like their feedback made a difference in creating actionable change within their organization.

Read more: Millennial bosses are making things harder for Gen Z employees

“When employees don’t feel heard or feel their needs aren’t met, they are less likely to maximize their talents and more likely to seek opportunities elsewhere,” Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence, which ran the survey, said in a release.

Employers have struggled to establish clear communication strategies as workers clock-in remotely: 95% of employers plan to make changes to their company culture in response to COVID challenges, according to Gallagher. More than half of managers feel their relationships with their teams have worsened over the past year, data from Paychex found.

Younger employees have especially felt isolated and feel that COVID has interrupted their career trajectories. Sixty percent of Gen Z employees say they are simply “surviving” or are struggling with their roles, according to a study from Microsoft.

These employees are no longer willing to wait it out for a better work experience, and employers should beware of an upcoming resignation wave. The UKG survey found that more than a third of employees would rather quit than voice their concerns with management.

Read more: If you want Gen Z, you’ll have to work for them

“At a time when organizations are desperately vying to attract and retain top talent, people leaders must first listen to the voice of the employee,” Chris Mullen, executive director of The Workforce Institute, said in the release. “Then they must act in order to sustain long-term business stability and success.”

Managers who respond to employee concerns and opinions with openness and empathy will not only build stronger relationships, but have a more engaged and productive workforce that will help the business thrive.

“Feeling heard drives a sense of purpose and belonging,” Schawbel said. “By implementing employee feedback, people leaders can create an organizational culture of psychological safety and trust that thrives when its people thrive.”