Do a lot of young people lack interpersonal skills in the workplace and life in general now?

zagfles

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

There've been a few high profile examples of exactly that happening (eg John Torode singing a song with a bad word). But yes it's different when the mass media get involved and organisations fall over themselves to say they treat this sort of thing "very seriously" and immediate knee-jerk reactions are required for PR reasons. 

I take your point but I don’t think Masterchef (or the BBC) are typical of workplace dignity at work HR policies. And it goes both ways, Wallace’s behaviours went unchallenged for many years before any action was taken…

Yup - it's not typical but there have been examples of people in ordinary jobs being disciplined or sacked for a one off misunderstood or disputed remark. 

And there are a lot of older people who simply don't know "the rules", I've heard some use words or phrases that would probably get them into trouble in a lot of workplaces but there was no malice or "hate" just a lack of knowledge about the correct terms people should use these days. 

There is always Malice when you  use  slur words... 

there is a fantasy, held solely by  bigots ,  that  there are 'correct ' terms   thisi  generalyl becasue they have  hada warning  shot  across their bows  aobut  their use of Slur terms  and/or their inappropraitely  sexualised behaviours , although in some cases  especially since  Brexit  it;s the emboldening of the Far right  and the myth  that multiply  convicted  Criminal Stephen Yaxley -Lennon is a 'journalist'   

No, there really isn't. That's a fantasy held by the sort of sanctimonious people who see offence, usually on behalf of others, everywhere. Example is use of terms like "coloured" or "of colour" etc. What is offensive and what isn't? 

PS don't answer. It's rhetorical. Google it. 

zagfles

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

EnPointe said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

thge problem is that those who  promote this view  have views which are  , frankly, not worthy of consideration ina  civilised society,  it;s just they have been Groomed ( actual meaning of the word ) into beleiveing that their extreme  , often  fascist , virews  and that their  sexualised bheaviours are normal, by the likes of  D Trump , N Farage and S Yaxley-Lennon 

Their views, whether you like them or not, have to be taken into consideration in a democratic society especially when they win or do well in elections. If you believe in democracy then you can't go round shutting down views shared by a large proportion of the country regardless of any arrogant "civilised" elite thinking they know better. 

That may be one of the problems the OP is referring to, maybe young people are brought up too scared to express "incorrect" views or challenge the orthodoxy they are taught and that feeds into a "follow the process" type attitude to jobs rather than think outside the box. 

No they do not, there  are multiple legal precedents  where  views  are held to be ' not worthy of conisderation a civilised society'  including judgements which to any  objective   view are a losse for the bigots in question even if they  parrot them as  victories for their bigoted cause. 

what we see are people when caught out  whether that is  Greg Wallace  or fElon Musk attempting  to  play  a 'card' in the delusion that  it will absolve them from responsibility for their  offensive and Offending  ) in both senses)  actions ...

Views are given by placing an X on a voting slip. Those views will be considered whether you like it or not, whether you think they are "civilised" or not. Farage and Trump were mentioned earlier. Farage is an MP and expresses his views in the HoC. Trump is the most powerful person in the world. The people that voted for them are having their views expressed. 

Anyway this is way OT. Bye. 

Tabieth

zagfles said:

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

There've been a few high profile examples of exactly that happening (eg John Torode singing a song with a bad word). But yes it's different when the mass media get involved and organisations fall over themselves to say they treat this sort of thing "very seriously" and immediate knee-jerk reactions are required for PR reasons. 

I take your point but I don’t think Masterchef (or the BBC) are typical of workplace dignity at work HR policies. And it goes both ways, Wallace’s behaviours went unchallenged for many years before any action was taken…

Yup - it's not typical but there have been examples of people in ordinary jobs being disciplined or sacked for a one off misunderstood or disputed remark. 

And there are a lot of older people who simply don't know "the rules", I've heard some use words or phrases that would probably get them into trouble in a lot of workplaces but there was no malice or "hate" just a lack of knowledge about the correct terms people should use these days. 

There is always Malice when you  use  slur words... 

there is a fantasy, held solely by  bigots ,  that  there are 'correct ' terms   thisi  generalyl becasue they have  hada warning  shot  across their bows  aobut  their use of Slur terms  and/or their inappropraitely  sexualised behaviours , although in some cases  especially since  Brexit  it;s the emboldening of the Far right  and the myth  that multiply  convicted  Criminal Stephen Yaxley -Lennon is a 'journalist'   

No, there really isn't. That's a fantasy held by the sort of sanctimonious people who see offence, usually on behalf of others, everywhere. Example is use of terms like "coloured" or "of colour" etc. What is offensive and what isn't? 

PS don't answer. It's rhetorical. Google it. 

“Google it” - exactly! Anyone genuinely unsure of what is offensive and who doesn’t want to offend can very quickly and easily find out. Literally it’s a 5-minute Google search. The people upset are those who want to be racist / sexist / homophobic and know it’s no longer acceptable. It’s not lack of knowledge. 

zagfles

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

There've been a few high profile examples of exactly that happening (eg John Torode singing a song with a bad word). But yes it's different when the mass media get involved and organisations fall over themselves to say they treat this sort of thing "very seriously" and immediate knee-jerk reactions are required for PR reasons. 

I take your point but I don’t think Masterchef (or the BBC) are typical of workplace dignity at work HR policies. And it goes both ways, Wallace’s behaviours went unchallenged for many years before any action was taken…

Yup - it's not typical but there have been examples of people in ordinary jobs being disciplined or sacked for a one off misunderstood or disputed remark. 

And there are a lot of older people who simply don't know "the rules", I've heard some use words or phrases that would probably get them into trouble in a lot of workplaces but there was no malice or "hate" just a lack of knowledge about the correct terms people should use these days. 

There is always Malice when you  use  slur words... 

there is a fantasy, held solely by  bigots ,  that  there are 'correct ' terms   thisi  generalyl becasue they have  hada warning  shot  across their bows  aobut  their use of Slur terms  and/or their inappropraitely  sexualised behaviours , although in some cases  especially since  Brexit  it;s the emboldening of the Far right  and the myth  that multiply  convicted  Criminal Stephen Yaxley -Lennon is a 'journalist'   

No, there really isn't. That's a fantasy held by the sort of sanctimonious people who see offence, usually on behalf of others, everywhere. Example is use of terms like "coloured" or "of colour" etc. What is offensive and what isn't? 

PS don't answer. It's rhetorical. Google it. 

“Google it” - exactly! Anyone genuinely unsure of what is offensive and who doesn’t want to offend can very quickly and easily find out. Literally it’s a 5-minute Google search. The people upset are those who want to be racist / sexist / homophobic and know it’s no longer acceptable. It’s not lack of knowledge. 

  Yeah always spend 5 minutes doing a google search before interacting with anyone who has any differences to you. If they start a conversation with you, just say "excuse me while I spend 5 minutes googling what terms I should use". Just to be safe. After all everything on the internet is right, right? Walk on eggshells all the time, that's really good for everyone. 

Alternatively you could just make mistakes and learn from them. Anyone with any emotional intelligence will understand when someone is deliberately being offensive and won't simply assume it because they used an outdated term. Unfortunately a lot of people don't have any, or simply enjoy looking down on others and feeling they are so morally superior. It's a form of bigotry. I'm better than you because I know what words to use. No better than I'm better than you because I have different skin. 

Bye. End of this pointless little diversion. 

EnPointe

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

There've been a few high profile examples of exactly that happening (eg John Torode singing a song with a bad word). But yes it's different when the mass media get involved and organisations fall over themselves to say they treat this sort of thing "very seriously" and immediate knee-jerk reactions are required for PR reasons. 

I take your point but I don’t think Masterchef (or the BBC) are typical of workplace dignity at work HR policies. And it goes both ways, Wallace’s behaviours went unchallenged for many years before any action was taken…

Yup - it's not typical but there have been examples of people in ordinary jobs being disciplined or sacked for a one off misunderstood or disputed remark. 

And there are a lot of older people who simply don't know "the rules", I've heard some use words or phrases that would probably get them into trouble in a lot of workplaces but there was no malice or "hate" just a lack of knowledge about the correct terms people should use these days. 

There is always Malice when you  use  slur words... 

there is a fantasy, held solely by  bigots ,  that  there are 'correct ' terms   thisi  generalyl becasue they have  hada warning  shot  across their bows  aobut  their use of Slur terms  and/or their inappropraitely  sexualised behaviours , although in some cases  especially since  Brexit  it;s the emboldening of the Far right  and the myth  that multiply  convicted  Criminal Stephen Yaxley -Lennon is a 'journalist'   

No, there really isn't. That's a fantasy held by the sort of sanctimonious people who see offence, usually on behalf of others, everywhere. Example is use of terms like "coloured" or "of colour" etc. What is offensive and what isn't? 

PS don't answer. It's rhetorical. Google it. 

“Google it” - exactly! Anyone genuinely unsure of what is offensive and who doesn’t want to offend can very quickly and easily find out. Literally it’s a 5-minute Google search. The people upset are those who want to be racist / sexist / homophobic and know it’s no longer acceptable. It’s not lack of knowledge. 

exactly  

 but as tyou  can see  fro mthe tone and  wilfullness  of the  previous poster, this isnt aobut that  it;s abotu the factthey  fully realise that their  views are 'not  worthy of consideration in a civilised society ' and they are upset that they  as their particualr  demographic  can no longer get  away  with offensive, offending and often Offending behaviours ...

Tabieth

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

EnPointe said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

zagfles said:

Tabieth said:

dumpster_fire2025 said:

Bigbobby said:

Is it just me or do other people think that in the workplace and life in general that in many cases young people seem to lack communication and social skills? I have been working in the NHS in pharmacy for just under 10 years now and started off as a pharmacy assistant and I have now worked my way up to a supervisor.  It is now that I am really starting to notice this issue in many of the younger staff in particular.
Several things I have noticed:
-You try and initiate conversation whether work related or banter during quiet periods...how was your weekend? How are you finding your new role?  Did you watch the footie last night?  All I seem to get is a few word response at best.
-The stare is the big one.  Again you ask a question and they just seem to freeze and do not know how to respond
-Lack of initiative and problem solving themselves.  As soon as something happens that is outside their routine, comfort zone or out of kilter a bit again they just seem to freeze, panic and expect me to solve all their problems.
-Scared of answering the phone.  As soon as the phone goes which of course requires verbal skills they just ignore it or just pass it on to a senior member of staff.
These are just some examples and I am not giving a blanket opinion saying these apply to every young person but from experience in many cases they do. 
I then ask myself way is this? 
-Is it social media/technology where communication is just through your phone which could mean that you are not developing proper face to face communication skills.  I see it all the time are work, down the street, on the bus etc where people are just on their phone all the time
-Lack of socialising in general?  When I was younger I climbed trees, played football on the park, then went to pub when older, fishing, hiking etc.  Looking back it was fun and it developed my social skills.  Is it the case that young people are now more isolated, staying at home more on their phones and computer playing games?  
-Are young people now being mollycoddled by their parents more and as a result are not developing their own independent living skills?
-Has the COVID pandemic/lockdowns has a lasting impact on young people?
-Financial constraints?  I remember the 2008 financial crisis and more recently the cost of living post pandemic.  Could it be a lack of UK economic growth over recent years, wage growth and inflation means young people have less money in their pocket? As a result they are less likely to afford social activities?  The amount of pubs and shops in my town that have shut is just absurd.
I am 39 now and looking back when I was younger I was more of an introvert.  I lacked life experience but by the time I hit my 20s I became more confident and learnt how to socialise and communicate better.  Fast forward to today and it seems that in many cases people who have now hit their 20s have still not developed their communication skills and this adds pressure and stress to other member of staff which I think is incredibly rude.
Again and I will emphasise again that this does not apply to every single young person.  I will totally respect other people other people's views who may disagree with me, I am just more interested in what other people's opinions, views and observations are?

Welcome to the HR culture.

I rarely speak to colleagues because my views are not DEI friendly. I suspect most people, whether they have my political views or not, know that a misunderstood word results in job termination. So we just don't bother anymore.

In my experience “a misunderstood word” never results in job termination. To dismiss someone for gross misconduct (quite rightly) requires a high bar. I have as a manager seen people dismissed for what they’ve said but it’s always been pretty vile and extreme. Never a “misunderstood word”. 

There've been a few high profile examples of exactly that happening (eg John Torode singing a song with a bad word). But yes it's different when the mass media get involved and organisations fall over themselves to say they treat this sort of thing "very seriously" and immediate knee-jerk reactions are required for PR reasons. 

I take your point but I don’t think Masterchef (or the BBC) are typical of workplace dignity at work HR policies. And it goes both ways, Wallace’s behaviours went unchallenged for many years before any action was taken…

Yup - it's not typical but there have been examples of people in ordinary jobs being disciplined or sacked for a one off misunderstood or disputed remark. 

And there are a lot of older people who simply don't know "the rules", I've heard some use words or phrases that would probably get them into trouble in a lot of workplaces but there was no malice or "hate" just a lack of knowledge about the correct terms people should use these days. 

There is always Malice when you  use  slur words... 

there is a fantasy, held solely by  bigots ,  that  there are 'correct ' terms   thisi  generalyl becasue they have  hada warning  shot  across their bows  aobut  their use of Slur terms  and/or their inappropraitely  sexualised behaviours , although in some cases  especially since  Brexit  it;s the emboldening of the Far right  and the myth  that multiply  convicted  Criminal Stephen Yaxley -Lennon is a 'journalist'   

No, there really isn't. That's a fantasy held by the sort of sanctimonious people who see offence, usually on behalf of others, everywhere. Example is use of terms like "coloured" or "of colour" etc. What is offensive and what isn't? 

PS don't answer. It's rhetorical. Google it. 

“Google it” - exactly! Anyone genuinely unsure of what is offensive and who doesn’t want to offend can very quickly and easily find out. Literally it’s a 5-minute Google search. The people upset are those who want to be racist / sexist / homophobic and know it’s no longer acceptable. It’s not lack of knowledge. 

  Yeah always spend 5 minutes doing a google search before interacting with anyone who has any differences to you. If they start a conversation with you, just say "excuse me while I spend 5 minutes googling what terms I should use". Just to be safe. After all everything on the internet is right, right? Walk on eggshells all the time, that's really good for everyone. 

Alternatively you could just make mistakes and learn from them. Anyone with any emotional intelligence will understand when someone is deliberately being offensive and won't simply assume it because they used an outdated term. Unfortunately a lot of people don't have any, or simply enjoy looking down on others and feeling they are so morally superior. It's a form of bigotry. I'm better than you because I know what words to use. No better than I'm better than you because I have different skin. 

Bye. End of this pointless little diversion. 

No one is suggesting googling before every conversation. That’s just silly. 

I’m amazed the direction this thread has gone.  It’s really not that hard to NOT be racist / sexist. Most people manage it easily 100% of the time. Anyone who struggles and finds they regularly give offence should take a long hard look at themself.  

TWalles

I’ve noticed this too, and I think it’s a mix of things. Technology and social media have definitely changed how people communicate, texting and quick online chats don’t teach you the same skills as face-to-face conversations. Add to that the pandemic, which shut down normal social interactions for a long time, and it’s no surprise that some younger people struggle with confidence or basic social skills in work settings.

But I also think there’s a bit of nostalgia at play. Every generation tends to look back and feel like the younger one isn’t as “good” socially. What’s different now is that the world is more digital and fast-paced, and maybe schools and workplaces haven’t adapted well to help young people develop these softer skills in this new context.

zagfles

TWalles said:

I’ve noticed this too, and I think it’s a mix of things. Technology and social media have definitely changed how people communicate, texting and quick online chats don’t teach you the same skills as face-to-face conversations. Add to that the pandemic, which shut down normal social interactions for a long time, and it’s no surprise that some younger people struggle with confidence or basic social skills in work settings.

But I also think there’s a bit of nostalgia at play. Every generation tends to look back and feel like the younger one isn’t as “good” socially. What’s different now is that the world is more digital and fast-paced, and maybe schools and workplaces haven’t adapted well to help young people develop these softer skills in this new context.

Yup - I certainly remember when I was a teenager I didn't like communicating with adults and wouldn't enter into conversations, often didn't know what to say, got shy and embarrased. I think it's normal - what changed for me was when I went backpacking round the world and got used to starting conversations with people about trivial stuff.