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.

#TheAscendEDWorkplace
#WorkplaceCulture
#LeadershipDevelopment
#RestorativeJustice
#AccountabilityMatters
#GenZWorkforce
#ConflictResolution
#ProfessionalGrowth
#OrganizationalLeadership
#ModernWorkplace

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.

#TheAscendEDWorkplace #LeadershipDevelopment #GenZAtWork #MultigenerationalWorkplace #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #PeopleLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #GenerationalDifferences #TeamDevelopment #AccountabilityCulture #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceLearning #LeadershipPodcast

Are your Gen Z employees underperforming, disengaged, or resistant to feedback? You do not need to lower the standard. You need to raise the support.

In this episode of The AscendED Workplace, Adam and Rebecca reveal a truth that many leaders miss. Gen Z is not lazy, entitled, or soft. They are capable of high performance when given the right structure, feedback, and clarity.

Designed for CEOs, people leaders, and HR professionals, this episode offers real strategies to help you close the gap between expectations and outcomes by building systems of support that drive growth, accountability, and motivation.

We unpack why Gen Z often sees accountability as punishment, how their upbringing shaped their work style, and why they are wired to ask for the “why” behind decisions.

If your organization is facing high turnover, low ownership, or inconsistent performance from younger employees, this episode will give you tools to shift the culture and get results without burning out your leadership team.

Subscribe for practical strategies at the intersection of accountability, growth mindset, and generational performance.

Visit AscendED-Consulting.com to learn how we help companies build real systems that drive high performance.

#GenZInTheWorkplace
#ManagingGenZ
#HowToLeadGenZ
#LeadershipStrategiesForGenZ
#GenZAccountability
#CoachingYoungerEmployees
#BuildingAccountabilityCulture
#ManagingMillennialsAndGenZ
#ExpectationsAndSupport
#ImprovingWorkplacePerformance
#EmployeeMotivationStrategies
#AscendEDConsulting
#AccountabilityCulture
#GrowthMindsetAtWork
#LeadershipPodcastForExecutives
#accountabilityislove

Are you constantly putting out fires on your team?
Deadlines are missed, people are disengaged, and ownership is unclear.

The problem is not laziness. It is lack of clarity

In this video, Rebecca and Adam from AscendED Consulting walk you through a four-step accountability system built for CEOs, executives, and leadership teams who need to align culture with performance and drive real results

This is not theory.
It is a repeatable, practical system that works for modern teams across all generations, including Gen Z

What You Will Learn:
- How to align your company culture and performance expectations
- How to identify the behaviors that matter most for your organization’s success
- How to design a custom accountability system using tools like simple self-assessments and behavior-based tracking
- How to equip your managers with the clarity and confidence to lead effectively
- How to create consistent feedback loops that improve trust, engagement, and retention
- How to strengthen leadership decisions around compensation, promotions, and development

Who This Is For:
- CEOs
- Founders
- People leaders
- Department heads
- HR professionals
- Executives building high-performing teams

If you are leading a team that is quiet quitting, burning out, or missing expectations, this framework will help you bring structure, clarity, and results.

This system prevents burnout, improves retention, builds trust, and creates the kind of culture people want to stay and grow in

Want Our Help?
This four-step system is the foundation of our Gold Package at AscendED Consulting.
We work directly with leadership teams to build custom accountability systems that align culture and performance across every level of the organization
Visit ascended-consulting.com to learn more.

If this video gave you something useful,
Like it
Subscribe to the channel
Share it with a fellow leader who is ready to build a better culture

#Accountability
#LeadershipDevelopment
#CultureStrategy
#PerformanceManagement
#ExecutiveLeadership
#GenZWorkforce
#RetentionStrategies
#ManagementSystems
#OrganizationalHealth
#accountabilitysystems
#AccountabilityIsLove

Hosted by Rebecca Burtram & Adam Howard | AscendED Consulting

What if the biggest barrier to Gen Z’s performance isn’t motivation but the absence of deadlines in their education?

In this episode, we unpack how schools’ shift to “no deadlines, no zeroes” created a generation that struggles with urgency, ownership, and time management. Now, those same students are your employees, and the consequences are hitting your bottom line.

As educators turned workplace consultants, we saw this shift firsthand. Well-meaning policies removed structure and unintentionally taught students that time is flexible, expectations are negotiable, and consequences are optional.

In this episode you’ll learn:

🔹 How deadline-free schooling trained Gen Z to wait for urgency rather than generate it
🔹 Why inconsistent accountability systems create ambiguity, anxiety, and missed goals
🔹 How to rebuild urgency through structured, fair accountability—not micromanagement
🔹 Practical tools for managers: checkpoint systems, post-mortems, and growth-based consequences
🔹 Why consistency and follow-up are more effective than pressure or scolding

Deadlines aren’t about rigidity they’re about rhythm. And when teams have rhythm, they move faster, with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

If your team is struggling with missed timelines and lost momentum, this episode will give you the roadmap to reset expectations and build a workplace where accountability drives results.

#LeadershipDevelopment #GenZWorkplace #AccountabilityAtWork #FutureOfWork #AscendEDWorkplace #PeopleManagement #DeadlineCulture

Hosted by Rebecca Burtram & Adam Howard | AscendED Consulting
What if accountability isn’t just about performance but also about mental health, motivation, and retention?

In this episode, we break down the science-backed benefits of consistent accountability systems and explain why today’s teams, especially Gen Z, don’t just need feedback and goals. They need clarity, structure, and support to thrive.

As former educators turned workplace consultants, we’ve seen firsthand how structure reduces anxiety, boosts confidence, and creates space for growth. You’ll learn:

🔹 How clear expectations reduce stress and decision fatigue

🔹 Why accountability increases motivation, ownership, and team resilience

🔹 The link between structure, emotional safety, and innovation

🔹 What healthy accountability looks like in practice (hint: it's not micromanagement)

🔹 How to use accountability systems as retention tools, not just performance levers

Hosted by Rebecca Burtram & Adam Howard | AscendED Consulting
Gen Z is here, and leaders across industries are struggling to manage them.
Low initiative. High turnover. Fragile under feedback. Sound familiar?

In this episode, two former educators-turned-workplace consultants pull back the curtain on the real reason Gen Z is struggling at work: a school system that never taught them accountability. We reveal how the classroom culture of flexible deadlines, inflated grades, and consequence-free environments has created ripple effects across today’s workforce and how you, as a business leader, can fix it.

✅ What CEOs are getting wrong about Gen Z
✅ How a lack of accountability systems is costing your company
✅ What structure, clarity, and coaching can do to transform performance
✅ Why AscendED’s education-based approach works where others don’t

🔥 If you’re ready to stop blaming a generation and start solving the root problem, this episode is for you.

📞 Book a free consult: info@AscendED-consulting.com
📩 Follow for more: Subscribe + turn on notifications
🌐 Learn more: www.AscendED-consulting.com