Have you heard about the Gen Z stare? Blank face. Wide eyes. No reaction. They’re not confused — they’ve checked out. It’s the look someone gives when they’re expected to know something no one ever taught them. If you support deskless workers, you’ve seen it. This isn’t a stereotype, but instead a signal. And if you want to keep up with the changing workforce, it’s one you can’t afford to ignore.

Gen Z accounts for 18% of the U.S. workforce today and is projected to reach 30% by 2030. Many of these workers start on the front-line, staffing retail registers, hotel check-in desks and drive-thru windows. Deskless teams, as a result, include people across ages and experience levels.

Every generation gets labeled. Millennials were called lazy and entitled, until we realized they were navigating broken systems with limited support. Now Gen Z faces the same treatment, often dismissed as unmotivated, screen-obsessed and unwilling to work.

Instead of repeating past mistakes, we have a chance to give Gen Z, along with every front-line worker, the support they need to succeed. Whether they’re picking up a summer job or launching a long-term career, everyone deserves a fair shot at doing their best work.

How to Effectively Onboard Gen Z Into Front-Line Roles

Here’s how to reshape your enablement strategy to support every front-line employee, including your youngest team members.

1.      Go Back to the Basics.

Gen Z workers struggle to answer the phone. It’s not because they’re incapable. They just rarely do it. Texting replaced calling a long time ago. As a result, one-half of Gen Z workers feel uncomfortable making business calls.

You can’t assume people have skills that were once taken for granted. According to Chain Store Age, 89% of retail managers say Gen Z employees lack the technical skills needed for front-line roles. More than four million Gen Z in the U.S. are not in school or working. Many will step into the workforce without prior training or experience.

Your training strategy must reflect these shifts in skill demand. However, don’t assume all Gen Z workers need to start from scratch. Instead, tailor training to individual needs. Use assessments to understand each person’s baseline. Fast-track experienced workers. Provide foundational training for those who need support with skills like answering the phone, greeting customers, managing a schedule and dressing for the workplace.

It might feel rudimentary, but everyone must learn the basics somewhere. Plus, 81% of front-line workers say they’d stay with a company longer if they provided better training. The right training builds confidence, and confidence can keep people on the job.

2.      Equip Your Managers.

Coaching and mentorship might be in the front-line manager job description, but that doesn’t mean it’s happening. In “The 2024 Deskless Report” by Axonify, one-half of front-line managers say they’re burned out, and 67% say they weren’t properly prepared for the role. When they’re buried in admin work and constantly putting out fires, it’s hard to focus on people. That’s a problem for everyone, but especially for Gen Z, with 86% saying mentorship is important and 59% wanting regular guidance from managers. Yet only 38% of Gen Z workers receive this support. Without that kind of support, younger workers may struggle to build confidence and feel capable on the job.

To a front-line worker, the manager is the company. But when managers are stretched too thin, people fall through the cracks. Managers need the time, tools and training to lead. For example, do managers have the coverage needed to run the business, or are they simply your highest-paid employees? Equip managers with practical tools like digital assistants, conversation guides and real-time coaching support. Help them develop the skills needed to mentor new professionals.

When managers have the time and tools to lead, Gen Z gets the guidance they need to start strong. Plus, your frontline gains the champion they’re often missing — present, accessible and focused on their success.

3.      Focus on Connection.

Training is important, but it’s not why people stay. Gen Z wants more than a job. They want to belong — 86% of Gen Z employees say culture and connection matter when choosing where to work. In fact, many would take a pay cut in exchange for a sense of community. However, according to “The 2024 Deskless Report,” only 44% of front-line workers feel heard. This disconnect results in disengagement, especially for younger workers.

Connection doesn’t just happen, especially for people who are less social, less experienced in building relationships in professional settings. You must provide the tools and opportunities to foster community on the front-line.

Get people out of the back room. Don’t overload new hires with classroom sessions and eLearning. Get them into the operation early to meet the team, work with peers, and build relationships.

Create connection moments. Assign buddies. Give managers budgets for community events. Make interaction part of the daily routine.

Leverage social tools. Help workers connect with peers outside their location. Give them a place to ask questions, share interests, and experience the job with people like them.

Ask, listen, and follow through. Use pulse surveys, forums and regular check-ins to give workers a safe space to share their experiences. Act on their feedback to show it matters.

Connection fosters belonging. And belonging is why people stay, even when the work gets hard.

4.     Embrace Gen Z.

Data shows that 83% of Gen Z workers are burned out. They’re just getting started, and they’re already struggling!

You could chalk it up to generational differences and decide they don’t have what it takes. Or you could acknowledge that Gen Z’s success is essential to your own.

You don’t have to coddle Gen Z. You just have to meet them where they are. This is an opportunity to adapt your front-line strategy to work for everyone, including the newest members of your team. After all, they’re just looking for training that bolsters confidence, guidance from a manager they trust and real connections with peers so the job feels like more than just a job.

That’s not too much to ask for, right?