More than half of Gen Z ditch managers for GenAI’s guidance in workplace, says report

When the going gets tough at work, more than half of Gen Z employees aren’t turning to their managers for advice—they are consulting generative AI (GenAI) instead, drawn by its constant accessibility and perceived impartiality.

About 56% of Gen Z prefer to rely on GenAI for guidance over their managers when facing a tough task at work, driven by its 24/7 availability (66%), unbiased advice (56%), and the privacy it provides for sensitive conversations (49%), according to a report.

The report titled The GenAI Gap: GenZ & the Modern Workplace is by upGrad Enterprise, the corporate skilling and workforce development division of edtech firm upGrad. It is based on insights from 3,512 Gen Z professionals across diverse backgrounds and 1,128 HR leaders.

GenAI usage has surged across workplaces and generations alike. For Gen Z, it’s more than just a tool—they are making it a defining part of their professional identity.

GenAI is rapidly becoming a workplace staple for Gen Z, with almost three out of four employees already incorporating it into their workflows. For many, its potential is clear—77% believe it opens up new possibilities, while 65% feel neutral to optimistic about its impact. Looking ahead, more than half of Gen Z predict that GenAI will play either a central or supportive role in their jobs over the next five years.

Gen Z is increasingly turning to GenAI for quick, tailored, and efficient solutions. When immediate answers are needed or when seeking personalised solutions, more than half choose GenAI over traditional learning resources. While 38% rely on it for complex problem-solving, a quarter prefer the convenience of GenAI when traditional resources are not available.

However, Gen Z tends to use GenAI selectively, often keeping their usage discreet. While about a quarter are open to sharing their GenAI usage with colleagues who could benefit, another quarter keep it under wraps to avoid judgement. Half of Gen Z, though, are comfortable with disclosure when the context, colleagues, and attitudes towards GenAI are right.

For many, relying on GenAI’s precision might feel like a leap of faith. But for Gen Z, GPT outputs are typically good to go with minimal adjustments. In fact, 72% of Gen Z employees admit to using GenAI outputs with little to no change, while three out of four find GPT’s responses sufficient. Additionally, a quarter report customising their GPTs, reducing the need for any tweaks to the output.

The report highlights that there is a significant gap between Gen Z’s expectations and the current reality of GenAI implementation. For GenAI to truly deliver, organisations must establish clear, up-to-date guidelines and training. Yet, 54% of Gen Z employees find the existing guidelines inadequate, and 52% are unsure about training updates, with some reporting they are rarely or never provided.

Commenting on the trends, Srikanth Iyengar, CEO of upGrad Enterprise, said, “...We have leveraged our expertise to design this report, offering an in-depth look into the current landscape - highlighting not only how GenZ is embracing AI but also the urgent need for organisations to establish supportive policies and implement targeted training.”

upGrad Enterprise partners with mid and large organisations to equip their workforce with market-ready skills. With a network of 3,000 corporate partners, it claims over 90% training completion rate, offering tailored programmes in high-demand fields like AI and technology. upGrad Enterprise claims to have trained over 600,000 professionals in FY24, with more than 10 million learners to date.