‘Have a problem?’: Gen Z are freaking people out with their staring habit

The Gen Z stare is the latest phenomenon to take over the internet, freaking out older generations and sparking workplace warnings.

Have you ever walked into a store and asked a young worker a question only to be met with a blank look?

Or maybe you have been in a meeting and felt like you were being silently judged by a younger colleague?

You may have experienced the infamous Gen Z stare.

The viral phenomenon is categorised by a prolonged, unwavering gaze that can look like disinterest, or even disapproval, and is usually given in response to a question or request.

The expression has taken social media by storm, sparking a much wider conversation about its implications and how it is perceived between the different generations.

The Gen Z stare has gone completely viral. Picture: @misa._.ann/TikTok

Young people say it is used as a response to ridiculous questions or requests. Picture: @netta.dar/TikTok

Older generations have been sharing their own encounters with the ‘stare’, branding it bizarre and, in many cases, downright rude.

However, Gen Zers have been quick to defend themselves, claiming the blank look some in their generation choose to wear is simply the result of people asking ridiculous questions that don’t deserve a response.

There are many situations where one might be met with the Gen Z stare, but one setting where young people should be wary of applying this pointed tactic is the workplace.

Young people have been warned against using ‘the stare’ at work. Picture: @julesparkles/TikTok

The phenomenon has sparked a huge debate online. Picture: @springtheagency/TikTok

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Rebecca Houghton, middle management expert and author of Impact: 10 Ways to Level Up Your Leadership, warned this is one tactic young workers should be avoiding at all costs.

“Every generation shakes things up at work and pushes boundaries. Gen Z is no different. But if your go-to move is the Gen Z stare, you might want to find a better strategy,” she told news.com.au.

“Young people usually don’t have authority at work, so they need to work out how to influence without it. Silence and staring aren’t the answer.”

Ms Houghton has experienced the Gen Z stare at work first-hand, so she understands the different ways in which is can be interpreted by the receiver – none of them very positive.

“As a manager, a few thoughts escalate through your mind pretty quickly. Are they listening? Do they understand? Do they care? Do they have a problem?” she said.

Being perceived as authentic and real is something many Gen Zers value, which may be one explanation for why so many people in the younger generation have adopted the stare in response to situations or questions they deem unreasonable.

However, Ms Houghton noted there is a “big difference” between being authentic and being absent.

For young employees who want to be taken seriously, particularly by those in leadership positions, the workplace expert said it’s important to show you are “in the conversation”, even if you are challenging what is being said.

“Instead of the Gen Z stare, stay engaged. Ask a clarifying question. Use neutral language to challenge a decision, set a boundary or buy time,” she said.

“If Gen Z wants to shift workplace norms, and I believe it’s inevitable they will), they’ll have more impact by learning to navigate the system strategically, not just rejecting it outright.

“You don’t need to people-please, but you do need to participate.”

Originally published as ‘Have a problem?’: Gen Z are freaking people out with their staring habit