You’ll catch the generational split before they even open their mouths.
Millennials and Gen Z share office space, but they’re practically speaking different dialects. Their habits, style, and even Slack etiquette make it easy to spot who’s who if you’re paying attention. These aren’t just age differences—they’re shaped by the world they grew up in, and it shows up in how they work, how they dress, and how they expect to be treated.
One walks in with a structured latte and a sense of burnout. The other shows up in Crocs and questions the entire system.
1. They use email like a landline.
Millennials still think email is the professional gold standard. They’ll carefully craft a subject line, double-space their thoughts, and sign off with “Best” like they’re sealing a formal letter. Gen Z, on the other hand, considers email something you check begrudgingly once a week. They’ll ping you on Slack, add an emoji, and move on. Their workplace language is quick, casual, and just as likely to come with a meme. If you see someone agonizing over a semi-colon in Gmail, odds are they survived dial-up and remember Clippy. The one side views communication as a polished product. The other sees it as a fluid conversation.
2. Their fashion choices expose the era they came of age in.
Millennials treat business casual like a uniform—tailored pants, minimal jewelry, and that one blazer they trust to get the job done. Gen Z’s take? Whatever doesn’t restrict their movement or creativity. You’ll see chunky sneakers with suits, dyed hair under hoodies, and outfits that scream “I don’t care” while still being curated. Millennials often cling to skinny jeans and neutral tones, a nod to the minimalist chic of their post-college job hunt years. Gen Z skipped that memo and decided workplace fashion could actually be fun—especially if there’s nostalgia involved. The office hallway might look like a generational catwalk if you’re paying attention.
3. They talk about mental health in totally different tones.
Millennials want to normalize mental health, but they’re still kind of formal about it. They might take a “personal day” and quietly reschedule that Zoom call. Gen Z just says, “I’m spiraling” and logs off without shame. You can spot the millennial in the room by their carefully worded Out of Office message. Gen Z just updates their Slack status to a crying emoji and trusts you’ll get the hint. The difference isn’t just vocabulary—it’s vulnerability. Gen Z leads with theirs. Millennials still try to package it with productivity metrics so no one gets nervous.
4. Their ambition doesn’t look the same at all.
Millennials were told to work hard, stay late, and prove themselves—even if it meant burnout. Gen Z watched that strategy play out and decided hard pass. They’ll do the job, but they’re not going to wreck their mental health chasing a promotion that barely covers rent. Millennials tend to measure success by climbing the ladder. Gen Z? They want flexibility, decent pay, and a job that doesn’t drain them. It’s not about slacking off. It’s about refusing to worship hustle culture like it’s gospel. If someone’s triple-checking their performance review, it’s probably a millennial. The Gen Zer’s already at lunch.
5. They react to authority in very different ways.
Millennials will nod through a long-winded meeting, take notes they never read again, and say “Thanks!” at the end of every email. Gen Z has no time for performance politeness. If a manager’s being unclear, they’ll say so. If the rules seem outdated, they’ll ask why they exist. That doesn’t mean they’re disrespectful—they just value transparency over hierarchy. Millennials still carry a bit of that “Don’t rock the boat” energy. Gen Z will rock the boat, then livestream it. If someone’s side-eyeing the org chart, you’ve found the Gen Zer.
6. They approach technology with totally different instincts.
Millennials remember floppy disks and T9 texting. They’re tech-savvy, sure—but they’ve had to adapt through waves of change. Gen Z was born with touchscreen reflexes. They’ll fix the office printer by watching a TikTok. Millennials treat tech like a tool that needs reading instructions. Gen Z treats it like a second language. If someone’s trying to Google a solution, they’re probably over 30. If someone’s editing video captions with zero training, they’re likely Gen Z. They just trust tech more—and it usually listens to them.
7. They communicate tone in completely different ways.
Millennials still stress about sounding too harsh in messages. They’ll overcompensate with exclamation points and smiley faces, even when they’re annoyed. Gen Z? They’ll drop a period at the end of a sentence and let you sit with the ambiguity. If you see someone decoding the emotional intent behind “Sure.” versus “Sure!” versus “SURE,” it’s a millennial unraveling. Gen Z understands tone through memes, gifs, and an uncanny ability to make one emoji mean ten different things. Their vibe might feel cold to older coworkers, but they’re just operating on a new tone spectrum—and it’s more efficient.
8. They have completely different boundaries around work.
Millennials will answer messages at 9 p.m. and apologize if they don’t reply within an hour. Gen Z will put up a “Do Not Disturb” status and mean it. They expect their time to be respected—even if they just got hired. Millennials have workplace guilt baked in. Gen Z sees boundaries as a basic right. If someone’s responding to Slack during dinner, it’s a millennial still shaking off old corporate habits. If someone schedules a block of “quiet work time” and doesn’t explain why, it’s a Gen Zer setting the tone for a new era.
9. They use entirely different platforms to express their ideas.
Millennials still live on LinkedIn like it’s the professional town square. They’ll write thought pieces and update job titles the second they get promoted. Gen Z skips the self-promotion and drops insights straight into Discord threads or private group chats. They’ll build an entire career off a niche Twitter following and never touch a resume. Millennials grew up told to brand themselves. Gen Z has seen the dark side of online exposure and plays it cooler, even while being deeply online. If you hear someone mention their portfolio site, it’s a millennial. If someone links a Notion board with vibes, it’s probably Gen Z.
10. They approach feedback like they grew up on different planets.
Millennials want to know how they’re doing but often brace themselves before asking. Feedback feels like a report card—both necessary and mildly stressful. Gen Z expects real-time input and doesn’t understand why you waited for a quarterly review to say something. They’ll give and receive feedback in Slack threads, video comments, and Google Doc margins. It’s casual, fast, and more collaborative. If someone schedules a meeting just to say, “Great job,” it’s a millennial still operating in a formal feedback world. The Gen Zer already knew you liked it—they saw your emoji reaction five minutes ago.
11. They define loyalty in radically different ways.
Millennials feel guilty leaving jobs even when they’re miserable. They’ll agonize over exit emails and worry about burning bridges. Gen Z sees jobs as transactions—not marriages. If it’s not working, they’re out. No drama, no guilt. It’s not that they don’t care—it’s that they’ve been raised to expect instability, so they don’t romanticize company loyalty. If someone’s staying in a role because they don’t want to disappoint their manager, that’s a millennial energy. If someone left mid-quarter and posted about their new project the next day, that’s Gen Z in full flight mode.