Struggling to recruit, manage, or retain Gen Z? You're not alone, and you're not imagining the shift.

In this episode of The Ascended Workplace, Rebecca Burtram sits down with HR leader Jack Foust to break down what’s REALLY happening with Gen Z talent and what the most effective HR leaders are doing to adapt.

Drawing from years of recruiting, onboarding, and developing young professionals across multiple industries (including the accounting field), Jack reveals:
-Why Gen Z is actually the most honest and authentic talent pool
-How hybrid onboarding models outperform handholding and sink-or-swim approaches
-The 30-60-90 day structure that forces soft-skill growth
-The weekly feedback cadence Gen Z requires to stay engaged and on track
-How to prevent “promotion expectation shock” with clear development pathways
-Why celebrating departures can improve retention
-How to bridge cross-generational conflict with simple structural changes
-What HR leaders consistently misunderstand about Gen Z

Whether you’re a CEO, HR Director, Talent Manager, or firm owner, this episode gives you practical, system-level strategies to develop Gen Z into high-performing, loyal contributors.

If your organization is struggling with:
-Gen Z communication issues
-Soft skills gaps
-Unrealistic promotion expectations
-Turnover or disengagement
-Frustration between younger and older employees
-Ineffective onboarding
…this conversation will give you immediately actionable solutions.

In this episode, Rebecca turns the mic toward Adam for a candid conversation rooted in his years as a Restorative Justice (RJ) coach in K–12 schools. What began as a well-intentioned approach to repairing harm and strengthening community eventually drifted into something different: a system where accountability blurred, consequences disappeared, and students, particularly Gen Z, walked away with mixed lessons about conflict and responsibility.

Adam shares real, behind-the-scenes stories that reveal both the strengths and the shortcomings of how RJ was implemented in many schools. Together, Adam and Rebecca unpack how these experiences shape the way today’s youngest professionals approach conflict, feedback, communication, and accountability at work.

Whether you're a leader, HR professional, or simply someone trying to better understand the cultural dynamics Gen Z brings into the workplace, this episode offers grounded insight, and practical takeaways.

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Every generation thinks the next one “just doesn’t get it.” But what if generational conflict at work isn’t really about age it’s actually about context?

In this episode of The AscendED Workplace, we break down what’s actually new about Gen Z in the workplace and what’s just history repeating itself. From differing views on work ethic to communication breakdowns and tech tension, we unpack why these gaps exist and how leaders can close them.

You’ll learn:

• Why “Gen Z laziness” is often a training gap, not a character flaw
• The historical cycle of generational misunderstandings
• How leaders can rebuild accountability and persistence as teachable skills
• Four strategies to create a workplace where Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z thrive together

It’s time to stop asking “What’s wrong with this generation?” and start asking “What shaped them and how can I lead them effectively?”

🎧 Tune in to learn how to transform generational tension into teamwork.

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