Let's face it, this is partially our fault. An entire generation failed them at the most basic level: education and common sense. For somebody to develop an acceptable attitude in the world, many people have to be involved. Parents have to be around and tell kids what's appropriate and what isn't; and a school system has to teach kids how to function in society and follow rules. Things do not just happen.
I think we still have time to involve them in the real world, and it can only be done through boundaries and consequences- things they might not have known before.
If you're in a leadership position, like the manager in this story, you have an excellent chance to show how things really work. It's like the ridiculous online debate going around a few weeks ago about the Gen Zer who took an iced coffee to a job interview.
Some things are what they are, and by subscribing to them, we are not saying they're not absurd; we're saying not everything can or has to be adjusted to our preferences, and some rules we have to follow.
Believe it or not, that's a very valuable life lesson. If we only stick to what we want and expect the world to cater to us, we will have a terrible future. We can't keep venting about Gen Z on the internet; we should be part of change.
If we don't integrate them, we will end up with a much more divided society, and we have to work together to make civilization work. We can't keep accusing them of being socially stunted when we're debating this behind a screen with a bunch of strangers.
If we can't handle it in the real world, we're part of the problem.