Suzy Welch Shares 5 Leadership Lessons That Can Transform Your Career in 2025

Suzy Welch’s blunt assessment that Generation Z may be “unemployable” has ignited a coast-to-coast debate on what today’s young adults need from schools, parents, and employers to thrive in the post-pandemic labor market. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published late last month, the NYU Stern adjunct professor argued that many entry-level candidates lack not just technical skills but “the habits of achievement” that turn knowledge into workplace value—punctuality, resilience, and a willingness to accept feedback. Fortune amplified the controversy days later, reporting that Welch’s commentary lit up HR forums and LinkedIn feeds as hiring managers shared stories of new graduates ghosting interviews or quitting after a single critical email. Welch, who co-founded the leadership consultancy Jack & Suzy Welch LLC with her late husband, says she’s hearing the same refrain in executive classrooms: “They’re smart, but they don’t know how to work.” Why Welch’s warning resonates Employers entered 2025 desperate for talent, yet Labor Department data show the unemployment rate for workers aged 20–24 running two percentage points above the national average. Welch contends the gap stems from a pandemic schooling experience that shifted the focus from deadlines to “well-being”—a pivot that may have undermined accountability. “She’s voicing what a lot of managers whisper,” says Katie Morrow, a Dallas restaurant-group COO who recently shortened server training by half “because half the class vanished after day three.” Morrow isn’t alone: a Yahoo Finance round-up found small-business owners reporting higher no-show rates and faster turnover among Gen Z than any cohort on record. Pushback from Gen Z voices Not everyone buys the unemployable label. TikTok creators with millions of followers have stitched Welch’s clip to argue that low wages and soaring rents—not laziness—push young people to job-hop. “We aren’t allergic to work; we’re allergic to being underpaid,” said 24-year-old career coach Marissa Jo on a post that drew 1.8 million views in 48 hours. Academic research also complicates the picture. A 2024 National Bureau of Economic Research paper found that Gen Zers clocked more freelance hours than millennials did at the same age, suggesting hustle is alive—just in different forms. Companies closing the skills gap Still, many corporations are treating Welch’s essay as a call to action rather than a condemnation. Delta Air Lines expanded its “Day Zero” program this quarter, pairing recruits under 26 with mentors who model email etiquette, conflict resolution, and even voice-mail greetings. At Walmart, a new “First Job Playbook” gamifies core behaviors—showing up on time, greeting colleagues, documenting tasks—rewarding consistency with micro-bonuses redeemable for groceries. NYU Stern, where Welch teaches the wildly popular “Becoming You” course, is piloting a freshman seminar on professional habits. The curriculum covers time-blocking, digital reputation management, and constructive dissent—a skill Welch says Gen Z actually excels at in theory but struggles to execute tactfully in real life. Economic stakes Consulting firm Korn Ferry estimates that U.S. businesses could forfeit $1.2 trillion in unrealized revenue by 2030 if skill mismatches persist. Welch warns that automation will not bail companies out: “AI can draft a memo, but it can’t show up for a shift.” What’s next Welch is turning the uproar into teachable moments; she plans a webcast series featuring CEOs who reversed sky-high turnover by doubling down on life-skills coaching. Meanwhile, expect the “unemployable” debate to permeate campus career fairs this fall as seniors demand evidence that employers value training as much as experience. Whether you view Welch’s stance as tough love or generational shade, the conversation has forced educators, executives, and young workers to confront a shared reality: talent pipelines are only as strong as the habits that carry knowledge from the classroom to the cubicle.