A crisis of confidence?

Young people in Shropshire are entering the workplace at a moment of profound transition. Employers across the county are continually voicing concerns about communication, resilience, and readiness.

Meanwhile, many young people feel they do have the skills to succeed, yet are frustrated by what they see as outdated expectations or inconsistent support.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of that argument, the result is a widening perception gap: a “crisis of confidence” that may not lie solely with young people, but within the relationship between modern staff and the workplaces they are entering.

So are employers simply struggling to adapt to a new generation whose expectations, behaviours, and communication styles differ from those of previous cohorts?

Let’s look at the evidence. A landmark report from the Chartered Management Institute found that just six per cent of UK managers believe young recruits are ready for work, despite nearly half of Gen Z believing they already have the skills they need.

This mismatch is not just about technical ability. Managers say the biggest gap is resilience, with more than 90 per cent reporting that this deficit is affecting performance. Communication skills, workplace behaviours, and early leadership capability also feature prominently in employer concerns.

These findings echo broader research into essential workplace skills. The Skills Builder Partnership highlights communication, collaboration, self-management, and problem-solving as core competencies – yet educators and employers struggle to agree on how these should be taught, assessed, or demonstrated.

In Shropshire, employers frequently report that young people struggle with speaking confidently to customers or colleagues, handling difficult conversations or feedback, understanding workplace etiquette, and managing time, priorities, and self-motivation. For some of them, the thought of having to pick up a telephone and speak to someone is terrifying.

These concerns are not new, but they do appear to be intensifying.

At the same time, young people disagree with the oft-quoted narrative that they are under-prepared, and they are certainly not lacking ambition. The same CMI research shows that almost two-thirds of young people actively want to progress into management or leadership roles, and confidence-building is a top priority for them.

Many feel they are ready, but complain that employers misunderstand their communication style or fail to provide the support structures they need.

Young professionals in Shropshire are seeking opportunities to build networks, develop communication skills, and grow their confidence – and there are a growing number of platforms offering them just that chance.

Events such as Shropshire Chamber’s Young Professionals networking evenings, and the Shropshire Rising Professionals group organised by Aaron & Partners and Azets, are designed specifically to help people at the start of their careers to build connections and confidence in a relaxed environment.

WR Partners is also launching its new Shropshire Young Professionals in the coming weeks with a summer social at its base on Shrewsbury Business Park on September 17, from 4pm to 6pm.

The informal networking event is designed for 18–30-year-olds from across Shropshire who are looking to connect with other ambitious young professionals in a relaxed and welcoming setting.

The team says: “No presentations, no pitches, and no pressure – this is, just an opportunity to unwind after work, make new connections, and be part of Shropshire's growing young professional community.”

Feedback from groups such as these show that young people in Shropshire are not complacent. Far from it: they want to learn, progress, and contribute. But are they receiving the right guidance at the right time?

Let’s start with changing communication norms. Gen Z communicates differently. They are digital natives, accustomed to rapid, informal communication, often via messaging platforms rather than face-to-face dialogue.

Employers, however, may expect more formal communication, greater assertiveness in meetings, traditional professional etiquette, and confidence in phone-based or in-person interactions. This mismatch can easily be misinterpreted as a lack of confidence, when it may simply be a difference in communication culture.

Another factor is the transition from education to work. CMI’s research describes this transition as “broken”, with structural challenges affecting both young people and employers.

Many young people leave education without meaningful workplace experience, while employers often lack the time or resources to provide structured onboarding. Here in Shropshire, this is something that our further education colleges are working hard to address.

Youth Employment UK’s national benchmark report reinforces this, noting that more than one million young people are NEET, and that employers need clearer pathways, better partnerships, and more practical infrastructure to support early careers.

Without consistent preparation, young people may enter the workplace unsure of expectations – and employers may assume this uncertainty reflects a lack of confidence.

Managers themselves are also part of the equation. A striking insight from CMI’s research is that 86 per cent of young people believe it is important that their line manager has received training on how to support someone at the start of their career.

Have you, or any of your line managers, received or even contemplated reaching out for help in coaching, mentoring, or developing young talent? Excellent operational leaders sometimes lack the skills to nurture early-career staff who need structured guidance, reassurance, and clear expectations.

This can create a feedback loop: a young person feels unsupported, their confidence drops, the manager interprets this as lack of readiness, expectations rise, and the relationship quickly becomes strained.

Complicating matters further is the reality that the workplace has changed dramatically, but expectations have not. Today’s Shropshire economy is more complex, more hybrid, and more emotionally demanding than ever.

Young people are entering environments where communication happens across multiple channels, remote work reduces informal learning, customer expectations are higher, and workplaces are more diverse and multi-generational. Yet many employers still expect young recruits to demonstrate traditional behaviours from day one: resilience, initiative, and polished communication. This expectation may be unrealistic without structured development.

Shropshire’s business community is uniquely positioned to address this crisis of confidence. Employers, educators, and networks already collaborate closely, and there is strong appetite for building clearer pathways into work.

Local initiatives – from Chamber or FSB networking events to employer-led workshops and school partnerships – show that confidence can be built when young people are given the right environment to practise communication skills and develop workplace behaviours. But the challenge remains: how do we close the gap between what young people have and what employers expect?

Several actions could help strengthen confidence and communication skills among young people while also aligning employer expectations with modern workplace realities. Employers should invest in pre-employment experiences such as workplace visits, shadowing, short-term projects, and mentoring schemes.

These give young people a chance to practise communication in real settings, reducing anxiety and building familiarity. Youth Employment UK’s benchmark highlights the value of “Explore” and “Experience” activities in preparing young people for work.

Confidence also grows when expectations are clear, so employers should provide structured onboarding and early-career support, offering detailed induction programmes, setting out communication norms explicitly, providing regular feedback, and pairing young recruits with trained mentors. This is not about hand-holding – it is about giving young people the tools to succeed.

Training front-line managers is equally important. Managers are the single biggest influence on early-career confidence, and young people value managers who are trained to support them. Investing in coaching skills, communication training, and youth development can transform workplace culture.

Employers should also recognise that communication styles evolve. Rather than expecting young people to immediately adopt traditional norms, workplaces can teach professional communication explicitly, encourage safe spaces for practising presentations or customer interactions, and blend digital and face-to-face communication training.

This helps young people adapt without feeling judged. Finally, employers should celebrate ambition and potential. Young people are not lacking ambition. They want to progress, lead, and contribute. Employers who recognise this – and provide pathways for growth – will build confidence naturally.

So, is there a crisis of confidence? Yes – but maybe not in the way it is often portrayed.

Young people are not entering the workplace devoid of confidence or communication skills. They are entering workplaces that have changed dramatically, with expectations that are not always clear, consistent, or aligned with modern communication norms.

The real challenge going forward is alignment: between education and employment, between young people’s communication styles and employer expectations, and between the support young people need and the training managers receive.