Generation Z feels uncomfortable with personal questions at work, such as those about romance or family. In particular, 'politics' was cited as the most uncomfortable type of question.

On August 2, recruitment platform Jinhaksa Catch announced the results of a survey of 1,733 Generation Z job seekers about "the situations they most want to avoid during a meal with their boss." The top answer, chosen by 50% of respondents, was "a boss who asks personal questions." This was followed by "a boss who says nothing at all" (26%) and "a boss who only talks about work" (24%), with similar proportions.

A survey of 1,733 Gen Z job seekers revealed that the most avoided situation during meals with their boss was 'a boss asking about personal matters,' accounting for 50%, ranking first.

The most uncomfortable type of question (multiple answers allowed) was political questions such as "Who will you vote for president?" at 53%, ranking first.

The main reason these questions were uncomfortable was that they were 'too personal,' cited by 55% of respondents.

When asked how they felt about bosses asking private questions such as those about romance or family, 69% of respondents said they felt "burdened." In contrast, only 18% said they were "okay" with it, and 13% answered "not sure."

For "uncomfortable question types" (multiple responses allowed), questions about "politics" such as "Who will you vote for president?" ranked first at 53%. The second most uncomfortable were "romance/marriage" questions such as "Are you dating anyone?" at 41%, followed by "hobbies/leisure" questions such as "What do you do on weekends?" at 38%. Other uncomfortable topics included: ▲religion (32%) ▲appearance (27%) ▲address (21%) ▲alma mater (17%) ▲age (15%) ▲hometown (8%) ▲personality/disposition (7%).

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The most common reason for finding these questions uncomfortable, chosen by 55% of respondents, was that "they are too personal." This was followed by "because it feels disrespectful" at 17%, "concerned it might lead to jokes, gossip, or rumors" at 11%, "because the relationship is not close yet" at 11%, and "because it doesn't fit the situation or atmosphere" at 5%.

However, maintaining distance is not the only thing they want. When asked, "Can a coworker become a friend?" 82% of respondents answered "yes." In other words, while they prefer to maintain an appropriate distance at first, they are open to building close relationships with colleagues once trust has been established.

Jinhaksa Catch advised that it is best to start conversations with light and relatable topics, such as recently enjoyed content, favorite food menus, or the weather, while paying attention to the other person's reactions.