'Assume everything is being recorded': Korea's Gen Z rewrites the rules of office life
"Whenever you talk to an employee in their 20s, it's probably best to assume the entire conversation is being recorded." It is a warning increasingly shared among Korean managers in their 40s and 50s as they try to make sense of a generation of young employees whose workplace habits can seem baffling — and sometimes unsettling — to their bosses. Some older managers see low loyalty to the company…
Whenever you converse with a 20-something employee, it's likely best to assume the entire discussion is being recorded. This warning is becoming more common among Korean managers in their 40s and 50s as they attempt to comprehend a generation of younger workers whose office behaviors may seem perplexing and occasionally unsettling to their superiors.
Some older managers observe low loyalty to the company and a lack of respect for senior colleagues. However, Gen Z workers perceive a different reality: a preference for clear communication, distinct boundaries between work and personal life, and relationships that are less hierarchical.
From recording conversations with their bosses to avoiding unnecessary apologies and continuing to use honorific speech even with close colleagues, young Koreans are subtly redefining some of the unspoken rules that have traditionally governed the country's workplaces. One reason for recording a conversation with a supervisor is to maintain clear communication. Some middle managers find such actions uncomfortable and question whether the employee is being overly cautious.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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