CURATED READS ON GEN Z IN THE WORKPLACE

Welcome to the latest edition of Mind the Gap. We hope you find our perspectives useful. Let us know what you think at Alex_Panas@McKinsey.com and Axel_Karlsson@McKinsey.com.

—Alex and Axel

first up

In the United States, college football season has arrived and Gen Zers are back on campus to rally behind their teams. Off the field, there are plenty of lessons to glean from some of the best coaches in sports about developing young employees.

McKinsey Senior Partner Kevin Carmody and his coauthors spoke to more than 25 athletes, coaches, general managers, trainers, and other critical contributors to successful professional and Division I sports programs across the country. Among the topics their conversations covered, several of which are especially relevant for shorter-tenured employees: how to set and maintain the right standards for teams and organizations, engender diversity in both personnel and thought, create a clear and compelling operating playbook, and embed resilience in teams and organizations.

Among the most important lessons? Everyone matters, not just the stars. Former Notre Dame football player Pat Eilers recalls how legendary coach Lou Holtz treated walk-ons, student managers, and Heisman Trophy winners with equal respect. For workplace managers, that means not focusing on a person’s job title and tenure when considering different points of view; make sure to create space for junior employees’ ideas to be heard too. Likewise, in the same way that the walk-on athlete noted in the article set the standard for a Division I program through his work ethic, younger employees can exert outsize influence by modeling creativity and effort. That influence grows when leaders delegate meaningful responsibilities to junior team members, giving them the chance to stretch, own projects, and develop their own decision-making muscles.

Several sports leaders also pointed out that junior players often bring energy and ambition, while veterans offer perspective and steadiness. Too many of either can tip a team off course. As Brian Wright, general manager of the San Antonio Spurs, explains: “Everyone on the team has a critical role to play in ensuring the success of the group. We win by engaging everyone, not just our star players.” For Gen Z employees, that ethos reinforces the importance of belonging and contribution—knowing they’re part of something bigger than themselves.

Communication is critical, too. Kevin Sullivan, director of track and field at the University of Michigan, says much of his role involves one-on-one discussions to reassure and reinforce plans with young athletes so they feel confident in the path forward. And as former Notre Dame volleyball player Ella Sandt notes, feedback is most valuable when it is candid, two-way, and provided in real time—an approach that resonates with a generation that prizes authenticity, both on the field and in the workplace.

VISUALIZE IT

In Europe, better pay and benefits may sway people to change jobs. But other factors, including training and development opportunities and flexible working, also matter to job seekers.

WAIT, DON’T SCROLL

Upgrade required. Employees are using gen AI three times more than leaders think they do, raising the stakes for companies to manage AI-driven change with intention.

It’s the pits. What impact did Britney Spears, “bro films,” and reality TV have on millennial women at work?

Leveling the field. Women’s sports are exploding in popularity—and so are the revenues they’ve generated in recent years. Stakeholders should make bold bets now to capitalize on the $2.5 billion opportunity.

NOT US; STILL GREAT

Code green. These twentysomethings are making millions of dollars per year thanks to their AI know-how. [WSJ]

Privacy piracy? When it comes to digital privacy, young people have concerns about these devices. [WaPo]

CROSSWORD

—Edited by Alexandra Mondalek, editor, New York