‘Gen Z Stare’ goes viral on Tiktok, sparks debate on workplace soft skills and communication

The “Gen Z Stare” is the newest viral workplace topic gaining traction on TikTok and beyond. Millennials are describing it as a blank, wide-eyed expression paired with slow or no response when interacting with younger colleagues or employees.

This stare has prompted concerns about soft skills, communication, and overall social etiquette among Gen Z in professional settings.

Some believe the behaviour stems from discomfort or social anxiety, with pauses misread as indifference or rudeness. Others argue that Gen Z is reacting to unclear or illogical customer demands, not lacking manners. As one TikToker posted, “The Gen Z Stare is just us processing stupidity.”

Viral videos depict exaggerated retail and restaurant scenarios where Gen Z workers stare silently when asked basic questions.

“They just look at you like they saw a ghost,” one creator said. Hashtags like #genzstare have thousands of posts, and many commenters suggest it reflects deeper generational gaps in workplace expectations.

Gen Z workers have pushed back, saying millennials are misinterpreting natural pauses as disrespect. Some noted that young people raised in the digital era may process face-to-face interactions differently.

Others cited the pandemic as a factor that disrupted normal social development.

The trend has reignited discussions around soft skills, with some framing the “stare” as a generational reaction to forced small talk and outdated customer service norms.