Boomers and Gen Z Don’t Agree on Bosses Messaging Outside Work

An exclusive poll for Newsweek by Redfield & Wilton Strategies has revealed that Boomers and Gen Z feel quite differently about getting an after-hours call from their boss.

The survey, comprising 1,500 eligible U.S. voters and executed online on December 8th, 2023, delved into the nuances of when and how managers should reach out to their employees outside regular work hours.

Participants were asked “Do you think it is appropriate for a manager or boss to contact an employee on their personal phone number outside of work?” and answers different substantially between generations.

For Gen Z, the youngest cohort in the workforce aged 18 to 26, a significant 29 percent said that it’s always acceptable for a manager to contact an employee after hours. In stark contrast, a mere 6 percent of Boomers and those from the Silent Generation (59+) shared this sentiment, reflecting a pronounced disconnect in perceptions.

Of millennials, aged 27 to 42, results showed 38 percent find it acceptable to hear from their boss outside work, but there was a wide range of perspective among their age group alone.

The survey probed further into the nuances of generational opinions. While 22 percent of Gen Z respondents declared that it’s never acceptable to be contacted outside of work hours on a personal phone, Boomers and the Silent Generation mirrored this sentiment at 19 percent.

Despite this it was noteworthy that, irrespective of age, the most common response across the board was an acknowledgment that the appropriateness of such communication hinged on the circumstances.

Gen Z and Millennials, at 38 percent each, leaned toward a situational stance and said it would “depend on the circumstances” in which their boss was calling. Whereas Gen X (43-58) and the older generations (59+) overwhelmingly agreed, with 53 and 73 percent, respectively, highlighting the impact of contextual factors.

A previous poll for Newsweek revealed that millennials are also most likely to expect their employer to pay for their commute, and lunch too.

As employees seek more balance between their work life and home life, influenced by factors like the pandemic which forced many to work from home and companies to embrace flexible working, most people aren’t keen on the idea of hearing from their boss outside of work hours.

Of all people surveyed, 22 percent said that it was never acceptable for their boss to contact them out of work hours, while 53 percent said it depended on the circumstances and only 20 percent said it was always appropriate to be contacted out of working hours.

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