The New Normal No One Talks About

When I posted about hashtag#GenZ and workplace anxiety earlier this week, I had no idea how deeply it would resonate. But the more I reflect on the responses—the stories shared—the more I realise this isn’t just about Gen Z.

We’re in a hashtag#relationshiprecession.
Not just in dating, families, or friendships—but at work.
People are experiencing a quiet crisis:
A loss of connection. A lack of belonging. A deep emotional imbalance.

Gen Z may be the most vocal—but they’re not the only ones living it.
They’re holding up a mirror to a system that no longer works for anyone.

And the workplace is feeling it.

We’re layering AI onto a workforce already stretched thin by disconnection.
We’re automating roles that once gave people purpose—often roles filled by men.
Cultures are shifting, but we lack the emotional tools to adapt.
And what’s left is growing resentment and confusion—especially among men.

And I say this not to criticise men—but to stand beside them.
Because I’ve seen what it looks like when someone feels they no longer belong—not in their work, not in relationships, not even in themselves.

My husband, John, faced that crisis.
And in the end, he didn’t choose life.

That experience changed me.
But it also deepened my commitment to talking about the emotional undercurrents we’re not addressing—especially in spaces where people are expected to “just get on with it.”

Meanwhile, I see my Gen Z daughter bring heart, passion, and commitment to her workplace. She loves where she works. She’s optimistic, creative, and eager to grow.
And yet she too is navigating a world of uncertainty and instability.

Generational theories like the Fourth Turning (controversial and US-centric as it is) suggest Gen Z is the archetype that leads us into a new golden age.
Whether or not that’s true, it offers a lens:

What if this generation isn’t here to be fixed, but to help fix us?

But they can’t do it alone.

We need workplaces that aren’t just about output—but about belonging.
Where emotional awareness isn’t punished.
Where leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers, but asking better questions.

Because when people don’t feel like they belong, they don’t stay.
Not in workplaces.
Not in relationships.
And, tragically, sometimes not even in themselves.

So the “so what” is this:
 •   Move from transactional to relational leadership
 •   Support men through identity shifts with compassion, not criticism
 •   Empower Gen Z to co-create the future of work
 •   Treat emotional connection as strategy—not fluff

Because if we don’t, we’re not just losing talent.

We’re losing people.

And we cannot afford that.