When a Gen Z employee says they don't feel safe at work, most leaders have one of two reactions. They either panic, thinking they have a legal problem on their hands, or they get quietly frustrated, assuming they're dealing with an overdramatic employee. In this episode, Tess Brigham, licensed therapist and certified coach, breakd down why both of those reactions miss what's actually happening and what to do instead.
Tracing the psychological and generational roots of Gen Z's emotional vocabulary through the work of Dan Siegel on interpersonal neurobiology and the yes brain concept, John Bowlby's attachment theory as extended to the workplace by Cindy Hazen and Philip Shaver, and Stanford researcher Jeff Cohen's research on belonging uncertainty, you'll also hear three real examples from Tess's practice that demonstrate exactly what this looks like in day-to-day workplace moments.
If you manage Gen Z employees or lead teams that do, this episode will change the way you hear this phrase and give you one concrete, immediately usable response.
What you'll learn in this episode:
- Why "I don't feel safe" means something completely different to Gen Z than it does to leaders over 45
- The psychological and generational roots of Gen Z's emotional vocabulary
- Three real client examples that show what this phrase actually looks like at work
- Why belonging uncertainty is not a soft concern, it is a performance issue
- The one question that shifts everything when a Gen Z employee brings this to you
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:
00:01 Introduction and opening hook
01:10 Why this phrase creates so much confusion across generations
02:28 Where Gen Z's emotional language comes from: Dan Siegel and the yes brain
04:44 Attachment theory at work: Bowlby, Hazan, and Shaver
05:30 Three real client examples from Tess's practice
07:04 Why belonging is non-negotiable: Jeff Cohen's belonging uncertainty research
09:18 The single most important shift: get curious instead of defensive
10:20 Carl Rogers and the power of being genuinely heard
Follow The Gen Mess for weekly content on generational workplace dynamics, and visit tessbrigham.com to learn more.
Follow for weekly episodes, and be sure to visit tessbrigham.com to learn more about Tess's work as a licensed therapist and certified coach.
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