Missed Call Mania—Understanding Gen Z’s Telephonophobia

The New York Post recently turned the spotlight on Gen Z’s “telephonophobia” and while we’re inclined to agree with the generation’s dislike of phone calls, we still need to explore it further. Gen Z’s fear of talking on the phone is nothing new and carries on the Millennial preference for text messages over calls. There is a general consensus that if it can be said by text or email, then there’s no reason to have a meeting or a phone call. Gen Z’s phone anxiety is not the top reason why managers have a problem with them, but it is one that could turn into a problem over time. Where this anxiety stems from and just how much it affects their work is hard to determine, but it is a matter that needs to be considered seriously to plan ahead for the repercussions. 

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Gen Z’s “Telephonophobia” is Becoming a Talking Point at Work

Workplace communications of any form can be a stressful experience, ask just about anyone in the corporate world. The blaring notifications for a Microsoft Teams call or another Slack message are sounds that have ingrained themselves in our minds especially due to their extensive use during the pandemic. We’ve reached a point where being contacted to do the job we were hired for feels extremely scary. This isn’t due to an unwillingness to work but more because you never know what the communication will hold. Regardless of which generation you belong to, everyone is just a little tired of virtual interactions. 

Employers are attempting to combat this by forcing workers to give up their work-from-home lifestyle and return to the office, which isn’t working out too well considering the resistance from employees. In a similar vein, older employees at work are doing their bit by trying to have more phone calls instead of virtual meetings and impersonal emails. While the gesture is thoughtful and switching things up does make a difference within the workplace, not everyone seems to be on board with the attempt.

Unlike the older generations within the workplace, Gen Z with their phone anxiety, are highly resistant to entertaining phone calls. The attitude is alright in their personal lives and they’re free to live in a way that works best for them, but within the workspace, it is imperative that workers perform according to the expectations of the organization. The avoidance of workplace phone calls may not factor into most workers’ everyday routines, but there are situations where it could become a problem.

What’s Causing Gen Z’s Phone Anxiety?

Gen Z’s “telephonophobia” is an interesting point of discussion within the workplace. It does seem odd that a generation that is collectively rarely more than 2 feet from their phones would be so averse to using the most basic function of the device. The reason for Gen Z’s phone anxiety is not as apparent as one might hope, as there are many overlapping factors that figure into the problem, the first of which is the generation’s unfamiliarity with phone calls. From “Boomers” to Millennials, we have all witnessed the arrival and proliferation of audio calling and have seen phone calls act as the quickest, most natural form of communication.

For the Gen Z population, FaceTiming and video calling friends and families, sending Snaps, replying to Instagram stories, and communicating over emoji-based is a lot more natural. Even for those who have entered the workforce, communication has taken place in person, over email, and via different apps—phone calls and their lack of visual cues, still remain somewhat of a mystery to them. Most workplace communications happen in a scheduled manner with fixed meetings with specific agendas that tell you what to expect. Phone calls are rarely as pre-planned as these other modes. 

Even when you need to file a complaint or need details on a particular service, these communications are first executed by chatbots before you ever reach a person who can help. Many leap to call individuals from the Gen Z cohort “snowflakes” or “antisocial” at the first chance, but it is essential to understand the circumstances under which these behaviors were learned. 

Additionally, some have discussed the fear of endless conversations over phone calls. Gen Z’s phone call avoidance also stems from the fact that phone conversations can become awkwardly long and drag on to unimportant topics with no end. Text communications are easier to navigate, they can end as soon as the key focus of the conversation is complete, with the option of additional media thrown in to set the tone of the conversation. It is also much easier to plan out your response and communicate your thoughts via written channels. We’re starting to understand the point of Gen Z’s telephonophobia.

Is Gen Z’s Fear of Talking on the Phone Interfering with Their Future Prospects?

For their own sakes, Gen Z should tackle their “telephonophobia” because most job application proceedings still begin with a phone call. A recruiter may easily get frustrated about your lack of response to a phone call and move on to other candidates who are easier to contact. By creating circumstances where you become hard to reach through traditional methods, you force employers to explore alternate means to contact you, which is not a great first impression to create. The fear of talking over the phone is something you should work on for your own sake, as it may be useful later on in your career. 

Does Gen Z’s Phone Anxiety Disrupt Work?

Gen Z’s phone anxiety can make sense in their personal lives but if it impairs their capacity to work, then we have a problem. If your workplace relies heavily on phone communications, it is obviously essential to hire workers who fit that bill. Employees at call centers and other occupations who need to be on the phone constantly must get over their fears of talking on the phone or risk losing their jobs. Employers at such organizations may have to look into more specialized training for new hires, considering most of the applications they will receive will be from this specific generation. 

In workplaces where making phone calls is not essential to the role, Gen Z’s telephonophobia is of little consequence. In most scenarios, it is better to have written evidence of communication available and that’s what emails and text conversations provide. This way, employees have a way to refer back to the discussion when needed or even support their claims with evidence. Official documentation of work conversations is in everyone’s best interest and it reminds everyone to be more mindful of what they communicate and how they do it. 

Encouraging Phone Calls Can Discourage Productivity

Encouraging phone calls at work may be counterproductive if they start to occur too frequently for every minor detail. The benefit of a work messaging app is that meetings are scheduled and added to calendars, all talking points are planned in advance, and the minutes of the meeting are recorded for reference. Frequent phone conversations give the impression that employees are always available to talk and answer questions, with no need for these scheduled conversations. These can disrupt the work very easily. 

Allowing phone conversations may also serve as a starting point for employees to be contacted outside of work hours, with the assumption that an employee should be ready to answer a call anytime. Again, this could be a regressive policy to allow within the workplace. Gen Z may have to work on their telephonophobia and phone anxiety because phone communication is a basic skill in the modern world, but is it really of concern to the workplace? Perhaps not. 

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