Insaaf Daniels, head of human capital at redPanda Software. A 2025 Infrastructure State of Learning and Readiness report found that 70% of workers feel unprepared to succeed in the modern workforce. That number jumps to 87% for Gen Z, significantly higher than Gen X at 65% and 72% of Millennials.The digital native generation may be fluent in apps and digital tools, but they lack confidence when it comes to data flows, automation logic, prompt engineering and security. They also operate on a different level to older generations, introducing a disconnect between employer expectation and employee delivery. This gap is widened by the belief that Gen Z is ready for a technology-driven workplace because they grew up digital.The technology sector is particularly vulnerable to this assumption. According to Handshake’s 2025 talent trend analysis, technology has been both a magnet and a bottleneck for graduates.As AI changes the way of work and entry-level postings shrink, employers are betting heavily on a relatively small cohort of Gen Z hires to step straight into high-leverage technical roles, often on the basis of their perceived digital native fluency.However, this digital familiarity isn’t digital effectiveness. Growing up with technology means Gen Z is comfortable with different platforms and they are quick to creatively adopt and use tools, but this doesn’t translate into the ability to operate within interconnected business systems where decisions carry consequences and accountability is tangible.This digital familiarity isn’t digital effectiveness.Surveys undertaken by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation reported in early 2026 that 70% of Gen Z respondents felt that AI makes people lazier and 62% worried that it made them less smart. At the same time, they’re also leading AI adoption in the workplace and turning to AI tools to refine and optimise their work outputs.This paradox is changing the way Gen Z shows up at work and it is impacting their performance and engagement. The friction shows up fastest in onboarding. There is a risk that assumptions made about levels of expertise and capability are entirely misaligned with what the hire needs to be effective in their role. The issue isn’t capability, it’s context – the role was designed without thinking through how it fits within the business environment, what the workflows look like and what explicit guidance the Gen Z hire needs to thrive. The result is a directionless workforce that doesn’t have the right skills with which to navigate the workplace.In 2025, a survey of 1 344 managers in the United States found that nearly 74% said that Gen Z employees were more difficult to work with than any other generation. However, what younger workers struggle with is ambiguity, especially when their expectations and roles are loosely defined.Gen Z has spent their formative years in structured, high-stakes environments and in digital ecosystems where answers are instantly available. They are far more likely to seek out explicit instructions and feedback than read between the proverbial lines.It’s a structural problem that can’t be laid at the feet of the Gen Z employee. Gen Z executes with precision against what is explicitly communicated and operates exactly within the boundaries of what they have been told.And when they are given feedback or have their expectations clarified, they generally adapt without friction or emotion or resistance. In short, if your Gen Z employees aren’t doing what you told them, you should probably check what you communicated.Changing the narrative comes down to ensuring you implement proper onboarding and structured mentorships, providing Gen Z with an immersive and structured introduction to how the business works.In my experience, interns brought in through a programme in which they met every manager and mapped how the business functioned, are productive within their first month – faster than any cohort in the previous five years. They were given the visibility they needed to understand the business and the structure they needed to perform within their roles more efficiently.Gen Z doesn’t need more handholding and they don’t need digital explanations, but they do need clarity and scaffolding so they can move faster and think more natively within technology-driven environments.Brief them, provide them with support, ensure they understand their roles, and then watch as their native digital skills deliver results.