Your Gen-Z Mentor Is Here

Many current managers have argued that Gen Zers simply don’t fit into the workforce. These younger workers, managers say, seem decidedly unenthused about projects and would rather talk on their smartphones than face-to-face with their colleagues. So it may come as surprise to find that at least some Gen Zers are getting a new title: mentor.

In the latest attempt to solve a generation gap—one exacerbated by the advent of Gen Zers into the workplace—a handful of firms are asking this new breed of young workers to mentor their older colleagues. Studies have shown that this so-called “reverse” mentoring can have many benefits, above all in ameliorating the difficulties some older and younger coworkers seem to be having with each other. Nearly half of managers in one survey call Gen Zers difficult to work with “some or all of the time,” and one in five Gen Zers say they haven’t had a single conversation at work with anyone over 50 years old.

Despite their differences, experts say, the two groups have much to learn from each other. The younger generation, for example, can show boomers the ropes for everything from social media to artificial intelligence. The thinking is that such programs might improve retention rates and recruitment of Gen Zers. “There are so many opportunities for leaders to gain helpful perspective,” says engagement expert Mark Royal, senior client partner at Korn Ferry.

Still, a well-intentioned program can go sideways. For example, an entry-level employee might conflate advising a top leader with career advancement. “There’s always a risk of someone prone to hubris expecting a promotion next week,” says organizational strategy expert Maria Amato, senior client partner at Korn Ferry. And wage gaps can rear their heads, as experienced employees who might earn up to ten times as much as Gen Zers casually share recent vacation or new house photos. “Familiarity breeds intimacy,” says David Vied, global sector leader in Korn Ferry’s Medical Devices and Diagnostics practice. “They might think: ‘I’m teaching you something, but I’m getting paid a quarter as much.’”

Reverse mentoring is not new; it was actually making a comeback prior to the pandemic before fading amid social distancing and remote work. Jack Welch, as CEO of General Electric, deployed reverse mentoring during the 1990s to teach his executives about the internet, and the military has long paired young officers with more experienced leaders. “That’s what the military is based on,” says JP Sniffen, practice leader in the Military Center of Expertise at Korn Ferry. “You teach each other, and together go farther than you would individually.”

Indeed, the benefits can be enormous: A study by Moving Ahead found that 87% of participants experienced the relationships as empowering and confidence boosting, and an oft-cited reverse mentorship program at a major bank resulted in a 96% retention rate among Gen Zers. The goal is not just a strong one-on-one relationship between a senior executive and a Gen Zer, but rather an ongoing cross-generational conversation, built on listening and empowering people of all generations in every conversation. “A weekly sit-down with a mentee doesn’t absolve leaders from doing this daily,” says Alma Derricks, senior client partner in the Culture, Change and Communications practice at Korn Ferry.

To be sure, multiple generations already work together at retailers, airports, and fire stations, to name a few. But in other workplaces, it can be rare.  Experts caution that the programs need a special structure, and advise thoughtfulness in pairing mentors and mentees. Ground rules should be explicitly described. “Ideally, senior people need to feel comfortable being vulnerable, and younger people should feel safe expressing challenging ideas that won’t come back to bite them,” says Royal. 

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