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Report: Gen Z are becoming default ‘tech support’ in their offices

A recent survey on office habits found that Gen Z employees spend on average eight hours a week providing unofficial tech support. The ‘Digital Natives’ are said to be becoming increasingly frustrated at having to pick up the slack.

Technology struggles are a universal problem in offices across the globe, but the responsibility of troubleshooting them falls heavily on one particular demographic – if new data is to be believed.

A study conducted by work analytics firm OSlash has suggested that one-in-four Gen Z workers feel they cannot get work done, due to being reluctantly designated as the default ‘tech support’ person.

This conclusion was drawn from a survey of over 1,000 US employees, who completed a survey probing into the specifics of tech competency in the workplace and how it manifests on a day-to-day basis.

Despite the common consensus that multi-generational workforces are hugely beneficial in the modern business world, this survey points to a growing sense of frustration among the young cohort known as Digital Natives.

The data shows that Gen Z employees (and Millennials to an extent) are very typically the ‘go to’ colleagues for troubleshooting tech issues or tutorials on setting up digital work systems.

Google it first infographics

On average, they’re said to spend around eight hours a week looking for files on behalf of co-workers – time which can cost employers above $11,000 annually – while staff members over 42 delay close to one-in-four meetings a day with tech queries.

We absolutely have to take into account that the pandemic has massively accelerated the need for remote work systems and video meeting apps.

It would be frankly unreasonable to suggest that there isn’t room for varying levels of digital competency between generations and that everyone should have already adapted. I certainly wouldn’t turn away anyone that needed help, but hey… we’re just mulling over the stats.

On the other hand, it has to be mentioned that younger people aren’t always interrupted for help with complicated new software or bugs.

Link sharing and sending emails are among two of the most common tech issues, and the data highlights a tendency to interrupt younger employees as a first port of call rather than doing a simple Google search.

In-fact, 24% of baby boomers in the survey admitted to lying about knowing how to write an email properly when applying for an office worker vacancy. Now that lack of initiative, I think it’s fair to say, can be considered unreasonable. Maybe I’m just mean.

Google it first infographics

Looking at the big picture, OSlash says that 86% of all American employees embellish or straight up fib when describing their tech skills on their CV.

Of those fortunate enough to land the position, many will attempt to glean said knowledge on the job – and likely from those who didn’t lie.

Gen Z workers are, for the most part, the default tech professionals within their offices. But, that doesn’t mean it’s conducive to ostracise senior colleagues who need a hand.

Instead, the onus should be on ensuring that companies either offer dedicated tech support from on-hand specialists, or incorporate optional training sessions/material to bring everyone up to speed. That way, everyone is happy and business can flourish.

As we previously stated, the adoption of tech is pretty rapid these days and we must remain inclusive at all costs.

You can guarantee there are some private work chats on Discord that make for grim viewing right now. Lord forbid the boomers should hack their way in one day!

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