Younger workers report engagement levels that are almost identical to those of older colleagues, while showing a much lower willingness to signal enthusiasm or agreement they do not genuinely feel.
Workplace communication often relies on visible signs of cooperation. Employees may smile during meetings, respond positively to suggestions, or soften disagreement with an approving expression. New MyIQ data suggests that younger workers are less inclined to use these signals when they do not reflect their actual reaction.
In a MyIQ survey of 13,842 adults across the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Latin America, 61% of working adults said they had noticed colleagues becoming less likely to visibly perform enthusiasm at work.
The age differences were substantial when respondents described their own behaviour. Among workers aged 18 to 28, 57% said they were comfortable showing when they were unconvinced by something at work, compared with 39% of workers aged 45 and over.
A similar pattern appeared in facial expressions. 48% of younger respondents said they had deliberately kept a neutral expression during a workplace conversation rather than pretending to agree or appear excited. The share fell to 27% among workers aged 45 and over.
The survey also measured how respondents viewed their own engagement at work. 73% of Gen Z respondents described themselves as engaged, compared with 71% of workers aged 45 and over. The difference between the two groups was statistically small despite the much wider gaps in how they reported displaying agreement and enthusiasm.
The clearest generational difference appeared when respondents were asked how they would prefer to be perceived if they disagreed with an idea. 68% of Gen Z respondents said they would rather be seen as neutral than pretend to agree with something they did not support, compared with 37% of workers aged 45 and over.
The findings suggest that visible enthusiasm is becoming a less reliable measure of engagement among younger employees. Someone who responds without smiling, avoids an enthusiastic affirmation, or leaves scepticism visible may still consider themselves fully engaged with their work. The survey indicates that younger workers are more comfortable allowing those reactions to remain visible.
This difference can affect how behaviour is interpreted across age groups. Professional norms have often rewarded employees who make cooperation easy to read through tone, expression and immediate affirmation. When those signals are used less consistently, a neutral response can be interpreted as detachment even when the employee sees no conflict between commitment to the job and visible scepticism about a specific idea.
The pattern also overlaps with online discussion of the “Gen Z stare”, a label commonly applied to neutral or blank expressions associated with younger people in workplace and service interactions. The MyIQ findings place that discussion within a broader difference in workplace behaviour, where younger employees report less willingness to manage their expressions for the purpose of appearing agreeable.
For employers, the data points to a potential shift in how engagement is read. Traditional cues such as smiles and enthusiastic responses may reveal less about commitment than managers assume when younger employees are involved. The survey shows similar self-reported engagement across the two age groups alongside a 31-point difference in the share who would prefer neutrality to pretending agreement.
Younger workers appear increasingly comfortable separating professional commitment from the expectation that every request, suggestion, or meeting should receive a visibly positive reaction.
About MyIQ:
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories: cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories: cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.