I’ve seen some of this myself as for instance. we now have a specific training for new hires on how to use our network printers and server/file shares…
OTOH many longer-term employees struggle with things like one drive or more advanced web tech, which is almost second nature to the new hires.
In other words, the truth is in the middle and business has been slow in some areas to adapt to newer tech as well.
Gen Z Is Apparently Baffled by Basic Technology (futurism.com)
Some of it is about modalities. The larger thing to me is an often inadequate education about the underlying principles. They learn tik tok in five minutes because all the file structures and operational complexities are hidden behind the UI. Which begs the question: who repairs the machine when there’s no one left who remembers how or why it was built in the first place?
I teach young kids and teenagers.
While they do learn how to use the computers (Chromebooks) they all have, and are obsessed with typing games, the number who know that files exist (rather than sandboxed use in any given app) or even how to use shortcuts is dire.
Few seem to know how URLs work (not technically). They just type it into the search box.
I’ve spent entire lessons instead of teaching what I was supposed to be teaching, teaching them computing basics.
That said, they can pick it up very quickly. And of course they all know how to use proxies*; some things never change.
*I even caught one teenage boy looking at some saucy pictures during a lesson this last week. He got a good finger wagging.
The last billionaire will be the last plumber…
Tech is one thing, but communicating over a phone is another. New hires simply do not like ‘speaking’ to people over the phone. Or, that’s just this business. Time will tell.
It’s amazing how much I see this. I am constantly asking, “did you call them?” And, the inevitable follow up question, “did you actually speak to them?”
Yeah the seeming aversion to actually talking to someone even more so face to face puzzles me.
Probably the height of it (or low point) I’ve seen with my own teenage son where he and his friends will text or snapchat each other even when they are in the same place… 
This has been going on for some time - in fact I remember a few years ago sitting next to a table of twenty-somethings at a restaurant, each on their iPhones, and they were TEXTING one another rather than talking - so bizarre - but my daughter explained it was common and you could have a multi-party conversation more quickly - geez…
I’m not gen Z, but I do not take phone calls. My children could be playing nicely for hours, but the minute I pick up the phone, chaos reigns. Someone needs a snack right now and someone else has lost an arm or something and someone else launches into song. Just text me, please. I mean, it’s getting better as they get older, but it’s never a good time to call. I’m busy. And I feel like this meeting could have been an email.
My secretary of 20 years feels the same way. She is not a gen Z’er either but she has embraced email wholeheartedly. So much so, that I have to go our of my way to ask her to make certain arrangements personally by phone for those clients who I know ignore their email, otherwise, the email goes out automatically. To be honest, there have been times when I could not get a return call from a client or witness but as soon as we send a text or email, we hear back. So, I guess it depends on what is the more efficacious way to communicate with someone.
I fully understand this! I thoroughly dislike having to make phone calls, much prefer if I can sort out things by email, where people can answer at their convenience. That said I can see of course that sounds things are just more efficiently coordinated over the phone.
The asynchronous exchange sees to be a big part of the drive. “I’ll get to you when it suits me”
Wow - you’d have to have a lot more patient clients than I do:
8:00am Email from X
8:05am Email 2 - did you get my email?
8:10am Text
8:15am Text 2 - did you get my text?
8:20am Voicemail - WHY THE H$LL AREN’T YOU ANSWERING MY MESSAGES!
I have a general office email and a personal one. I don’t automatically get the office emails. They get screaned first.
There aren’t 5 people outside family and friends who know the personal email. Same with the phone. Office landline. Nobody has my cell. They learn to live with it.
Millennials and Gen Z are not yet the client reps driving the work.
Unfortunately, these folks are neither millennials nor Gen Z - mostly Type A++++++++++ boomers…
Reading this thread reminds me we definitely skew significantly older than many internet boards (including myself in “older” 
)
Ha Ha. No question about it. I wonder why that is?
I wonder who the youngest here is. I am not yet a woman but I am not under 30. lol
We are left over pioneers from a time before iPad when we dreamt and use primitive pen tablets and believed the BS Bill Gates was feeding us…