How Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits Influences Behavior in the Workplace
The most recent blog that I wrote on my Ethics Sage website examined how Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People might be used to discuss the relationship of these characteristic traits of behavior related to managing employees in the workplace. I am writing three separate blogs on this issue. Today’s blog looks at the importance of seeking to understand Gen Z employees and how workplace issues challenge their ability to act in an ethical manner.
Applying the Seven Habits to the Management of Gen Z
According to Franklin Covey[1], who writes a blog on leadership–linking it to the 7 Habits—40% of managers feel that Gen Z isn’t prepared for work, with 45% of hiring managers saying that Gen Z is the most difficult generation to work with. Covey states that: “Members of Gen Z—much like Millennials and Gen X before them—are often (and perhaps unfairly) criticized for their perceived shortcomings in the workplace.”
Franklin Covey contends that Gen Z is not inherently inept instead:
- They seem to lack the human skills previous generations take for granted,
- 70% of managers believe that Gen Z lacks communication skills and overall work ethic.
- The result is frustration for leaders.
- Almost 40% of managers say they prefer to use AI than to hire Gen Z workers.
- 60% of employers say they’ve fired new Gen Z employees within months of hiring them.
To make matters worse, and further emphasizing the disconnect between Gen Z and their managers, “75% of managers say they don’t understand what Gen Z needs in the workplace. And because Gen Z is poised to make up 30% of the total workforce by 2030, it’s crucial that organizations identify and address these needs—not only to attract and retain Gen Z in the short term but to help them truly thrive and make meaningful contributions to the workforce for the foreseeable future.”
Franklin Covey links these shortcomings with the value of the 7 Habits to managers in this way:
“By seeking first to understand Gen Z, your organization’s leaders can more effectively manage these new hires and provide them the support they need to acclimate to the workplace. Appreciating the unique conditions that influenced Gen Z’s development, as well as the distinct skills they bring to the table and the potential challenges they now face at work, will help today’s leader’s close crucial gaps and put these recent grads on a clearer path to success.”
Gen Z’s and Millennials need to direct their behavior in a way that they are focused, disciplined, with self-control and a commitment to act rightly in dealing with others in the workplace.
Gen Z Employees: Key Characteristics and Challenges
Gen Zers seek communication; a hunger for knowledge; and they are eager to learn, with nearly one-quarter of Gen Zers saying that learning and development opportunities act as a prime motivator at work. They often gravitate toward a more collaborative workplace structure, as opposed to a traditional hierarchy, where they feel their voices and ideas can make a difference. To that end, they also seek to fulfill their sense of purpose at work; they’re colloquially known as the purpose-driven generation, with nearly two-thirds of Gen Z saying it’s “very or extremely important” that they work for employers who share their values.”
However, even though Gen Z wants to fulfill their purpose and live their values at work, that doesn’t mean they want to work long hours. Instead, as Franklin Covey points out, “they place immense value on work-life balance, with 32% of Gen Z employees ranking work-life balance as the top priority when evaluating jobs (compared to 28% of Millennials and 25% of Gen Xers who say the same). Many see workplace flexibility as a way to counteract burnout, with 73% of Gen Zers saying they want permanent, flexible alternatives to the in-office 9-to-5.”
There’s much more that could be said about managing Millennials and Gen Z, for example:
- “Gen Z and Millennials value the opportunity to collaborate with others and receive recognition for their contributions.
- Data reveals that 78% of young Millennial and Gen Z workers want to be recognized at least a few times a month by their manager or supervisor.
- Data reveals that 83% of Gen Z say they want to feel more appreciated at work and that Gen Z employees receive the most workplace recognition out of any generation.
- However, the way in which generations wish to be recognized may differ.
- Because Gen Z thrives on authentic communication, they often value when recognition from their managers extends beyond simple slack messages to tactile representations of appreciation like bonuses, raises, promotions, or career development opportunities.”
Gen Z technical skills in the workplace are influenced by their knowledge and ability to interact with the information flow on the Internet. As Covey points out, they instinctively use technology to learn, communicate, and innovate. This can be a huge benefit to businesses attempting to leverage rapidly evolving tech like artificial intelligence, as the majority of Gen Z currently uses AI tools. However, surveys show that this generation often lacks the critical thinking skills required to assess the accuracy and overall value of AI-generated results. That may be the case, although I have found through my experiences that the same could be said of Millennials.
9 Essential Strategies for Managing Gen Z Employees
Stephen R. Covey has said: “The problem of leadership today is that managers are still applying the Industrial Age control model to knowledge workers. They fail to tap into the highest motivations, talents, and genius of their people.
A recent Gallup poll found that 54% of Gen Z employees—the largest percentage of any generation in the workforce—feel ambivalent or disengaged at work. Steps should be taken to address employee disengagement among Gen Z and how best to prepare them for success at work.
Franklin Covey identifies strategies “that tap into Gen Z’s desire for purposeful impact, recognition, and learning opportunities, leaders can help Gen Z acclimate to the workplace, bridge gaps in skill development, and increase workplace motivation for recent grads. The following suggestions can help to better manage Gen Z. They will be discussed further in my next Workplace Ethics Advice blog.
- Engage in Transparent, Open Communication
- Set Clear Expectations
- Provide Robust Onboarding and Continuous Learning Opportunities
- Establish Purpose-Driven Progression Paths
- Hold Regular Check-Ins
- Prioritize Autonomy, Trust, and Accountability
- Facilitate Collaborative Environments
- Recognize and Reward
- Emphasize the Importance of Renewal.
Attending to the Well-Being of Gen Z in the Workplace
Gen Z are known to be concerned with their well-being at work. In many cases, this translates into a healthy work-life balance. Studies show that 52% of Gen Zers feel burned out at work, while other research reveals that Gen Z overwhelmingly struggles with stress, anxiety, and loneliness.
Franklin Covey signals out Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw®, the last of the 7 Habits, that “centers around the importance of renewal; without achieving balance with self-care, no one can do their best at work. By encouraging their reports to disconnect after working hours, using vacation and sick days, and engaging in activities that bring them joy and align with their values—and by making sure to do the same themselves—leaders can show their Gen Z reports that they care about balance and their well-being.[2]
Keep tuned to my Workplace Ethics blogs as I will elaborate on today’s blog by addressing how to empower Gen Z to increasingly shape the workplace in the future.
Posted by Dr. Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on August 14, 2025. Learn more about his activities at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/ and signing up for the newsletter.