Gen Z officer workers are suffering 'burnout' due to old tech like fax

Gen Z officer workers are suffering ‘burnout’ because they’re flummoxed by fax machines and other old tech, study finds

• Old technology like fax machines are causing stress for young office workers
• A study found Gen Z employees are suffering ‘burnout’ as old tech baffles them
• Most younger workers suffer ‘imposter syndrome’,  just 32% of baby boomers do

Younger office workers are suffering ‘burnout’ because they’re baffled by old technology such as fax machines and photocopiers, a new report has discovered.

In a reversal of traditional roles, employees aged 18 to 24 – known as Generation Z – are having to turn to colleagues of their parents’ age for technical help.

Researchers found many offices still use outdated computers, phone systems and even fax machines that leave 49 per cent of Generation Z staff confused and needing assistance from baby boomer colleagues, aged over 55. So-called ‘legacy’ systems are one of the main reasons that 78 per cent of younger workers suffer ‘imposter syndrome’, according to the report.

By comparison, just 32 per cent of baby boomers suffer from the condition, which leaves workers doubting whether they are competent enough to do their jobs.

Old technology like fax machines are causing Gen Z office workers to suffer from burnout, as the machinery  confuses them and contributes to their ‘imposter syndrome’

A spokesperson for the study said Gen Z  employees are particularly sensitive to the impact of legacy systems and highly value modern technology

More than eight in ten Generation Z workers said they also struggled with burnout, partly because of frustrations with old technology slowing down their work. Yet only 47 per cent of baby boomers said burnout was an issue, as they are more comfortable at switching between old and new tech.

The study was conducted by Asana, which provides work management technology. Spokesman Simon O’Kane said: ‘Gen Z is particularly sensitive to the impact of legacy systems and highly values modern technology.

‘They push back against established norms, hoping companies will update legacy systems in favour of modern technology and efficient processes.

‘It is clear that organisations either don’t have clear processes that Gen Z connects with or have legacy processes that they find cumbersome and demotivating.

‘But generations who didn’t grow up with technology in the same way are less likely to be affected.’

The findings are based on a survey of 10,624 office workers in Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK.

Researchers also found that 65 per cent of Gen Z workers become exasperated by laboriously searching for information on outdated systems that they feel should be available at their fingertips.

Just 53 per cent of baby boomers suffered the same frustrations and are comfortable dealing with such problems because it is what they were used to in ‘the old days’.

The survey also found that technology is so embedded in the lives of Gen Z workers that 37 per cent struggle to log off after office hours and keep working on phones and tablets. Only ten per cent of baby boomers have the same problem.

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