- A Gen Z intern invited his CEO for a casual drink, sparking workplace reflection
- The CEO noted older teams saw the invite as breaching hierarchy and disrespectful
- Gen Z views workplace relationships as based on personal respect, not titles
A simple question from a young employee has sparked a wider conversation about workplace culture and respect. A CEO recently shared how an invitation from a Gen Z intern made him rethink traditional ideas about hierarchy and professional relationships in the office.
Noida-based CEO Nitin Verma shared on LinkedIn that one of his Gen Z employees casually asked if he would join them for a drink. He said the rest of the team reacted as if the employee had done something wrong. Although he declined the invitation that evening, Verma said he had continued thinking about that moment ever since.
The CEO said the question made him reflect on how Gen Z employees view workplace relationships. According to him, the employee did not see a CEO but saw a person whom he could casually invite for a drink, just as he would invite a friend. In contrast, the rest of the team saw hierarchy, a title, a position, and a line that should not be crossed.
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Verma said the incident highlighted how differently generations think. He explained that older generations were taught to stand up when seniors entered a room and to carefully choose their words around people above their level. For them, hierarchy represented respect.
However, he said Gen Z does not operate in the same way. According to Verma, they do not respect titles but respect individuals. He said that if a person is kind, genuine and approachable, they get invited for a drink.
The founder admitted that there was a time when he would have viewed such behaviour as a lack of professionalism. However, he now believes it might be the most honest form of respect.
He said that this kind of respect is not given out of fear but comes from genuine comfort. Verma added that the team members who looked at the intern as though he was wrong showed him how much distance hierarchy can create, while the intern simply showed that such distance did not have to exist. He also said that although he declined the invitation that day, he might accept it next time.
