Overview

• The Gen Z stare is characterized by a blank, unreadable expression often deployed during face-to-face encounters to convey authenticity or conserve energy.
• A recent HR Grapevine survey found that 18% of managers considered quitting and 27% would rethink hiring Gen Z workers due to perceived lack of nonverbal engagement.
• Psychologists and communication experts attribute the stare’s rise to constant digital media use and pandemic-era isolation that eroded routine social cues.
• Many Gen Z workers defend the look as a strategic means to cut through repetitive questions and avoid unnecessary drama in customer-facing roles.
• Businesses are responding by offering cross-generational soft-skills training and encouraging verbalized thought processes to bridge communication gaps.