Boss floored by Gen Z staff
Business finds success while setting work boundaries
Millennial boss Grace Garrick is young and trendy, but her Generation Z staff leave her feeling old and confused.
Ms Garrick, 29, founded the creative communication agency MVMNT when she was 24. The business now boasts big Aussie clients like underwear brand Nala, activewear brand Lorna Jane and fresh food company Soul Origin.
The office is located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and inside it looks like a chic day spa with a few quirky touches from her Gen Zers staffers, like a poster of Aussie movie star Jacob Elordi.
A fair amount of time is still reserved for sitting at your desk and replying to emails and other professional things, but there’s also an endless stream of antics taking place as well.
It isn’t unusual to see Gen Z employees getting their nails done with a client or filming a TikTok to show off the fact that they’re all wearing cowboy boots.
“I came in one week and had a Jacob Elordi poster behind my desk. I had a Zoom call with Brydie, the marketing director of Soul Origin, and she was like, ‘Why on earth do you have a poster at the back of your office wall like a teenage fan girl?” Ms Garrick said.
When Ms Garrick started in the PR industry, it was the peak of hustle culture, and if you wanted to make it, there was no such thing as work-life balance or boundaries.
She said that overworking yourself was seen as a “strange” badge of honour and she loves how much Gen Z have changed the game, turning up with their baggy jeans and digital cameras. Yes, it turns out iPhone photos are out and 2000s style cameras are back in.
“My experiences with Gen Z have been eye-opening. They’ve taught me valuable lessons about setting boundaries, something Millennials, like myself, often struggle with,” she told news.com.au.
Ms Garrick, who grinded to the point of exhaustion in her early 20s, finds their approach to work “refreshing”, especially because it works.
“They understand the power of saying no and establishing boundaries. It’s a refreshing change. They advocate for working smarter, not harder, and prioritise meaningful work,” she explained.
Gen Zers are big on having fun in the workplace and are far less hung up on titles and chains of command.
Ms Garrick said Gen Z were much more “conversational” and keen to initiate open dialogue with absolutely anyone.
The fun and directness don’t hinder the work. The bulk of Ms Garrick’s staff are Gen Zers, and the business is growing.
It is sometimes, however, a culture shock for her.
Despite the chaos Gen Z brings to working life, this recipe has led Ms Garrick’s business to success and made her work approach far more fun.