This Is How Gen Z Email Sign-Offs Look Like, And We’ll Be Using Them
Interview
Young people starting their careers could be ascribed to Generation Z, or Gen Z for short. According to McCrindle, more than a quarter of workers will be Gen Z employees after a few years. They grew up with a completely different mindset than the previous generations, and they have a separate understanding of what a professional setting should look like, what the relationship between colleagues and bosses should be, and what their rights are.
They brought in a more laid-back attitude, which is seen in the clothes they wear or how they communicate. Recently, a couple of TikTok videos went viral for showing what emails from a Gen Z employee look like as they drop boring sign-offs like ‘kind regards,’ ‘best wishes,’ or ‘cordially’ and come up with their own very sincere, genuine and funny sign-offs.
One video was shared by Truman, a representative of Gen Z who works at NinetyEight, “a culturally-driven strategic impact consultancy built by and for Gen-Z,” where all the employees were born in 1998.
6.6 million people watched the video, and 1.2 million liked the video. It is a true reflection of the young generation, and you can’t be mad at them for not being professional as those sign-offs are so genuine; besides, if they do their job, there is no harm in adding funny email signatures.
So, what do the Gen Z email sign-offs look like?
People online were amused by this TikTok video showing how Gen Z is signing off emails
Image credits: ninetyeightla
Another video that went viral was made from the perspective of a millennial who started a new company selling “activewear for athletes and couch potatoes alike” and only hired Gen Z employees. The boss shared the hilarious email signatures among his employees, and 2.9 million people saw the video.
These two videos are evidence that Gen Z is changing the business environment and that they tend to be more genuine, sincere, and non-apologetic for feeling the way they do about their jobs.
Image credits: ninetyeightla
These people work at a company where all the employees are born in 1998 and they are changing how business works
Image credits: ninetyeightla
How Does Gen Z Sign Off Emails?
Bored Panda reached out to NinetyEight and talked with one of the employees there, Truman Rae, about how Gen Z differs from other generations as employees and if they could change how some corporations currently work. But firstly, we wanted to know more about the Gen Z email sign-offs, and Truman revealed more details to us, “On internal emails and Slack messages, our team is comfortable being ourselves and value maintaining a fun atmosphere. On internal emails, our signoffs vary all the time; TikTok just pulled our favorites. We’d prefer also to be comfortable on client-facing emails, but not everyone operates on that wavelength.”
Image credits: ninetyeightla
How the Gen Z is Changing Corporate Culture
Even though the funny email sign-offs are just one small detail that shows how young people communicate in a professional setting, Truman shared with us how he thinks Gen Z employees have a different attitude towards jobs altogether, “More than any other generation, Gen-Z is dedicated to reimagining corporate, capitalistic structures. This is more than just installing a ping pong table or hammocks in your workplace. I think we’ll start seeing more horizontal organization structures and more openness in letting people work how they want to. Some of this might be internal within existing companies, but I’m most excited to see Gen-Z-founded companies like NinetyEight radically rethink what work and productivity look like.”
Image credits: ninetyeightla
Emphasis on Morals and Ethics in the Workplace
Counterterrorism professional turned career coach Ashley Stahl (via Forbes) also feels that Gen Z is quite different from other generations in terms of their attitude to their work. She points out a few things.
Gen Z first cares about the company’s morals, ethics, and environmental impact. They also care about how inclusive and diverse the workplace is, as they don’t tolerate discrimination. It is also important to Gen Z workers that the company is transparent and communicates with them.
The signoffs are very informal and they represent what the employees are feeling without any hidden meanings
Image credits: ninetyeightla
Life-work Balance and Respect Are the Most Important Factors
Connect Team, the company that created an app to make companies work more smoothly as it provides a space to create things like shift schedules, plan tasks, or follow attendance, has noticed how Gen Z workers are different from the previous generations.
According to the Connect Team, they have high values and seek a stable life-work balance. For many, having enough rest is more important than receiving a high salary.
Gen Z also values relationships in the workplace. They prefer to have a team and at least some kind of interaction with another human. In a survey by Rainmaker Thinking, Gen Z said that the most critical factor in human interaction is supportive leadership.
If we remember all the stories of young employees quitting their jobs that we discussed here on Bored Panda, most likely, the employees resigned because they couldn’t bear their managers. Hence, the data officially shows that not putting up with disrespect in the workplace is a generation-wide attitude.
Image credits: ninetyeightla
Image credits: ninetyeightla
Clear Goals is the Best Motivation for Gen Z
To work their best, Gen Z employees need to know what is expected of them and where the company is going so they’ll know how they can help achieve the common goal. They also need feedback and regular communication with their managers, not just an annual report of what has been done and what can be improved.
Another point that Connecteam points out as necessary when working with Gen Z is that they like technology and want its most updated version. They are valuable as employees because they can learn how to use sophisticated programs very quickly, and they will be demotivated if the equipment they have to work with is outdated.
Businesses noticed that Gen Z’s attitude to work is completely different from other generations
Image credits: foxandrobin
Cultural Shift Starts With Small Things and Funny Email Sign-Offs
Because Gen Z workers have different values and want more from their employers, so they greatly impact how corporations proceed with business. Truman sees that change, “I think Gen-Z is already shifting corporate culture in both structural and minute ways. More than any other generation, we push corporations to be socially responsible, aware, and accepting. There’s still a long, long way to go, but I like the direction we’re going in. Rejecting boring and effectively meaningless sign-offs like ‘Best regards’ and ‘Thank you’ is just a fun, but small, way to strip power from traditional corporate culture.”
Image credits: foxandrobin
They are still hard-working, but more demanding so companies have to adapt as more and more of the workforce is made up of Gen Z
Image credits: foxandrobin
The Remote Work Debate
We also were curious about what Gen Z workers think companies should change to create a better work environment for everyone, and Truman believes that right now, employers should carefully consider their working-from-home or from-office policies, “Right now, we’re seeing various companies pressure employees to work in-office again. Many value working in person and are excited to return to the office. Still, a large segment of people enjoy working from home full-time or would rather only go into the office when necessary. To many Gen-Zs, it’s obvious that companies should facilitate their employees’ various workstyles rather than force them to return to an old status quo for normalcy.”
Image credits: foxandrobin
Image credits: foxandrobin
Gen Z Are All About Fairness When It Comes to Work
It seems that Gen Z just wants to be productive at work and not be bothered when they rest; they want the company to have decent human values and have a friendly relationship with colleagues, which includes informal emails and funny email signatures.
These requirements don’t seem unreasonable, and a company meeting these requirements sounds like a pretty cool place to work. Gen Z is onto something and probably has the right approach to work, so if they continue like this, we might not view business the same way in the future.
You can watch the video below
@ninetyeightlaBryant is a menace on gmail fr♬ Borderline – Tame Impala
So, How Do You End a Sassy Email?
For the info that we gleaned in this article and from the TikTok videos at hand, here are some original tips for a passive-aggressive email sign-off that will get your message through:
Be yourself. Are you finding a task too difficult or a person too distracted to read what you mean? Tell them so!
Be kind. Fun email sign-offs are fun as long as they are kind-hearted and well-meaning. Look at the Gen Z sign-offs mentioned here—they’re sassy but always entertaining.
Have fun. Writing a corporate email might be just as dull to you as the person who has to read it. Have fun with it to lighten up the atmosphere! Choose funny ways to sign off an email and add comedy to your day.
So, did you find these Gen Z email sign-offs amusing? Do you think they are appropriate in a work setting? Also, what are your thoughts about Gen Z changing work relationships and how business is done in general? Let us know your reactions and opinions in the comments!
People in the comments loved the email signatures and offered some of their own
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"fck you, I'm out" is how i want to sign off every email ever for the rest of my life
Make it as a automatic reply for the holidays.
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They may want to watch talking about "only hiring Gen Z". That can be taken as admission of age discrimination.
Yeah thats a pretty obvious legal issue and made me laugh at this line regarding Gen Z "they don’t tolerate any kind of discrimination"... Except agism
Load More Replies...
Doesn't anyone else want to know what words were between "I want to formally introduce you to" and "hands"? (Last screenshot before the video.)
I want to formally introduce you to my implanted arms where I have minuscule t-Rex size hands
Load More Replies...
Isn't it against the law to discriminate who you hire based on age?
Yes but all they have to say is that those they hired are the best fit for the business needs and are able to do the job well. Also if challenged about it just say that yes we would higher a person of different generations if they are able to work well in such a different business culture than what corporate America they help build. Simple and yet still enables them to higher gen z people
Load More Replies...
Truman missed an excellent opportunity to sign off with "good afternoon, good evening, and good night"
Generation gap aside, I would have NEVER, nor would I EVER sign an email or letter in any unprofessional manner.
Same here. My company expects their analysts to be professional at all times.
Load More Replies...
.......come on, using the f-word is pretty juvenile................
I love it. I was born a few decades too early, because this was exactly the attitude that I brought to the office, which is how I ended up self-employed. ∅ Regrets, K
My Gen Z son just taught me how punctuation can indicate hostility. From now on just using "K." when someone p!sses me off.. I expect confusion from my peers 😁
I just learned that from my Gen Z son. He thought I was mad at him because I used a period. Lol
Load More Replies...
This is the kind of office freedom I'd love. I hate how stiff and formal email sign-offs "are supposed to be", so I ended up settling with "Best,". I hope the people know in the comments bashing them for being "unprofessional" know that Professionalism is just a concept society created, and with what the basics of it are, it can definitely be more relaxed than what the standard today is. And some businesses like this are loose and more fun, but still professional. Just because it doesn't match your definition of professional, it doesn't mean that it's not.
It's also coming from the idea that the receiver understands the humor or pure transparency of the sender. This language can be confusing for nonnative English speakers especially. I find it odd to say Gen Z is so inclusive but uses language that is exclusive, can be misinterpreted by non-peers, can be seen as aggressive, and then only being able to work with companies that fit their specific sarcasm/language. Odd for an agency in particular, also sceptical of any agency that has only people that popped out of college without real world experience, simply because they are the demographic being marketed to?
Load More Replies... When you can't tell the difference between a text message and an email.
Accountability, transparency, knowing what's going on, caring about the environment, getting to be involved, laid back, informal emails... I might be old but hell sign me up!! Peace out peeps! 😏
I like the, "Sorry for existing"! 😂🤣 Super funny. Nothing I would ever say but definitely elicited a laugh from me. - It's the end of the world as we know it! Signed GEN X (But I feel fine.) 😒
Question: Do they have the same attitude as older generations about work 10-12h/day? I am honestly curious
You mentioned that Gen Z will not tolerate discrimination of any kind. But it sounds like a company who only hires Gen Z is practicing age discrimination.
I taught Biz email and when emailing to clients or whatnot, I teach them to be formal. With friends in the company, whatever goes. Just remember that the company can most likely look at your emails. Also, looking at how formal letters vs biz emails are written, clarity and brevity are the most important things for business emails. I see no problem with this.
I love these. I was born a few decades too early, because this was exactly the attitude that I brought to corporate America, which is how I ended up self-employed.
I'm an old retired Boomer and I would have SO loved to sign my emails just like this
One of my biggest problems is using slang in professional work. I’ll call my teachers ‘bestie’, ‘luv’, ‘mademoiselle bae’, and much more in my emails. I usually end them with ‘au revoir, b***h” or ‘kisses!’ Maybe it is just a French thing?
I;m using "lukewarm regards" on every single email I send for the rest of my life
I started making a list of my favourites, then I realised they're all amazing. Especially 'f*ck you, I'm out' and 'Sorry for existing :)'
As a millenial "Julia" I feel the above sign off is representative of all Julia's and not just gen X'ers. 😂
I would read all of my work emails if the sign-offs and signatures looked like this, lmao
Gen Z here and I work in the c-suite of a pharmaceutical corporation. My sign is is always, "Thank you and I hope you're having a wonderful/great/splendid day." The reason is because 2 jobs ago I got in trouble with HR saying my e-mails were not friendly enough.
Oh, heck yeah. I am so tired of platitudes and balancing the usage of exclamation points in emails. I've stopped typing "Thank you," unless I meant it, or "Have a great day," unless I wished there was a small fire. I'd like more flavors in the office if we're all stuck chewing away at the workload anyway.
Every one of these screen shots has the right side cut off. Can't read them!!!!
Not taking personal offense at being called a "boring" Boomer, I still think we fogies have a tip or two to offer this new power generation. First of all, Boomers knew this day was coming, and frankly did the best we could do to give Z's the tools they'd need to get it done when we got old. There's a saying I heard way back like, "If we don't teach them to do it right, who the hell's gonna wipe out a$$es when we can't even do that anymore?" And so it goes similarly with each passing generation. What I believe is Z's have it. The talent is real, the drive is there, and there's passion. But, there are stumbling blocks along any upward climb, and this is what Boomers do best----avert disaster. How do you convince an investor to trust you? How do you get along with a loser supervisor? How do you snag an interview the first time? You'll find that not only one Boomer has an answer for these and many more questions, we keep it simple. Ask a few of us for advice. Feel free.
So, boomer here. Internal emails I sign off however strikes me, though never obscenities. Yes, back in the early days of business emails I did always use a formal sign off as one would in letters but life is fluid and you've got to go with it.
Ok so I read every bit of that. And from what the article describes GenZ as needing at work, I think I got it. The need a workplace where employees are chosen by their skin color, gender, etc, over the ability to do the job. Check. Not gonna bother with the other trendy agendas who's adherence is demanded. Check. The need to be micromanaged, to have someone constantly over their shoulder, ready to give them a congratulatory pat on the back.... Oops no unsolicited touching... Idk.... Give em a cookie? Oh and if they completely bugger it up, make sure to provide kind and gentle "feedback". Check! OH I mustn't forget. You have to let them toss business, professional communications standards out the window... To appear loose and real.... Emails. That could likely end up on the screen of some other business that, rightly frowns on the unprofessional attitude of a potential customer or supplier. I'm SO happy I'm retiring in a few years.
I'm happy you're retiring too, we need less people like you out and about.
Load More Replies...
i always use "anyways.... [Blue]" (17Enby, not sharing my name so u get my internet one :) )
“Businesses noticed that Gen Z’s attitude to work is completely different from other generations” … they don’t like to actually do work.
We work for money for a living. Why else would we work? We do what we have to
Load More Replies...
This company sounds like it is run by children. No professionalism whatsoever. Wouldn't do business with them at all.
I'm an older millennial and it's not my cup of tea either. Even if I like my coworkers, we're never going to be cool enough for it to be okay for you to drop f bombs in an email to me. We're not friends.
Load More Replies...
"fck you, I'm out" is how i want to sign off every email ever for the rest of my life
Make it as a automatic reply for the holidays.
Load More Replies... They may want to watch talking about "only hiring Gen Z". That can be taken as admission of age discrimination.
Yeah thats a pretty obvious legal issue and made me laugh at this line regarding Gen Z "they don’t tolerate any kind of discrimination"... Except agism
Load More Replies... Doesn't anyone else want to know what words were between "I want to formally introduce you to" and "hands"? (Last screenshot before the video.)
I want to formally introduce you to my implanted arms where I have minuscule t-Rex size hands
Load More Replies... Isn't it against the law to discriminate who you hire based on age?
Yes but all they have to say is that those they hired are the best fit for the business needs and are able to do the job well. Also if challenged about it just say that yes we would higher a person of different generations if they are able to work well in such a different business culture than what corporate America they help build. Simple and yet still enables them to higher gen z people
Load More Replies... Truman missed an excellent opportunity to sign off with "good afternoon, good evening, and good night"
Generation gap aside, I would have NEVER, nor would I EVER sign an email or letter in any unprofessional manner.
Same here. My company expects their analysts to be professional at all times.
Load More Replies... .......come on, using the f-word is pretty juvenile................
I love it. I was born a few decades too early, because this was exactly the attitude that I brought to the office, which is how I ended up self-employed. ∅ Regrets, K
My Gen Z son just taught me how punctuation can indicate hostility. From now on just using "K." when someone p!sses me off.. I expect confusion from my peers 😁
I just learned that from my Gen Z son. He thought I was mad at him because I used a period. Lol
Load More Replies... This is the kind of office freedom I'd love. I hate how stiff and formal email sign-offs "are supposed to be", so I ended up settling with "Best,". I hope the people know in the comments bashing them for being "unprofessional" know that Professionalism is just a concept society created, and with what the basics of it are, it can definitely be more relaxed than what the standard today is. And some businesses like this are loose and more fun, but still professional. Just because it doesn't match your definition of professional, it doesn't mean that it's not.
It's also coming from the idea that the receiver understands the humor or pure transparency of the sender. This language can be confusing for nonnative English speakers especially. I find it odd to say Gen Z is so inclusive but uses language that is exclusive, can be misinterpreted by non-peers, can be seen as aggressive, and then only being able to work with companies that fit their specific sarcasm/language. Odd for an agency in particular, also sceptical of any agency that has only people that popped out of college without real world experience, simply because they are the demographic being marketed to?
Load More Replies... When you can't tell the difference between a text message and an email.
Accountability, transparency, knowing what's going on, caring about the environment, getting to be involved, laid back, informal emails... I might be old but hell sign me up!! Peace out peeps! 😏
I like the, "Sorry for existing"! 😂🤣 Super funny. Nothing I would ever say but definitely elicited a laugh from me. - It's the end of the world as we know it! Signed GEN X (But I feel fine.) 😒
Question: Do they have the same attitude as older generations about work 10-12h/day? I am honestly curious
You mentioned that Gen Z will not tolerate discrimination of any kind. But it sounds like a company who only hires Gen Z is practicing age discrimination.
I taught Biz email and when emailing to clients or whatnot, I teach them to be formal. With friends in the company, whatever goes. Just remember that the company can most likely look at your emails. Also, looking at how formal letters vs biz emails are written, clarity and brevity are the most important things for business emails. I see no problem with this.
I love these. I was born a few decades too early, because this was exactly the attitude that I brought to corporate America, which is how I ended up self-employed.
I'm an old retired Boomer and I would have SO loved to sign my emails just like this
One of my biggest problems is using slang in professional work. I’ll call my teachers ‘bestie’, ‘luv’, ‘mademoiselle bae’, and much more in my emails. I usually end them with ‘au revoir, b***h” or ‘kisses!’ Maybe it is just a French thing?
I;m using "lukewarm regards" on every single email I send for the rest of my life
I started making a list of my favourites, then I realised they're all amazing. Especially 'f*ck you, I'm out' and 'Sorry for existing :)'
As a millenial "Julia" I feel the above sign off is representative of all Julia's and not just gen X'ers. 😂
I would read all of my work emails if the sign-offs and signatures looked like this, lmao
Gen Z here and I work in the c-suite of a pharmaceutical corporation. My sign is is always, "Thank you and I hope you're having a wonderful/great/splendid day." The reason is because 2 jobs ago I got in trouble with HR saying my e-mails were not friendly enough.
Oh, heck yeah. I am so tired of platitudes and balancing the usage of exclamation points in emails. I've stopped typing "Thank you," unless I meant it, or "Have a great day," unless I wished there was a small fire. I'd like more flavors in the office if we're all stuck chewing away at the workload anyway.
Every one of these screen shots has the right side cut off. Can't read them!!!!
Not taking personal offense at being called a "boring" Boomer, I still think we fogies have a tip or two to offer this new power generation. First of all, Boomers knew this day was coming, and frankly did the best we could do to give Z's the tools they'd need to get it done when we got old. There's a saying I heard way back like, "If we don't teach them to do it right, who the hell's gonna wipe out a$$es when we can't even do that anymore?" And so it goes similarly with each passing generation. What I believe is Z's have it. The talent is real, the drive is there, and there's passion. But, there are stumbling blocks along any upward climb, and this is what Boomers do best----avert disaster. How do you convince an investor to trust you? How do you get along with a loser supervisor? How do you snag an interview the first time? You'll find that not only one Boomer has an answer for these and many more questions, we keep it simple. Ask a few of us for advice. Feel free.
So, boomer here. Internal emails I sign off however strikes me, though never obscenities. Yes, back in the early days of business emails I did always use a formal sign off as one would in letters but life is fluid and you've got to go with it.
Ok so I read every bit of that. And from what the article describes GenZ as needing at work, I think I got it. The need a workplace where employees are chosen by their skin color, gender, etc, over the ability to do the job. Check. Not gonna bother with the other trendy agendas who's adherence is demanded. Check. The need to be micromanaged, to have someone constantly over their shoulder, ready to give them a congratulatory pat on the back.... Oops no unsolicited touching... Idk.... Give em a cookie? Oh and if they completely bugger it up, make sure to provide kind and gentle "feedback". Check! OH I mustn't forget. You have to let them toss business, professional communications standards out the window... To appear loose and real.... Emails. That could likely end up on the screen of some other business that, rightly frowns on the unprofessional attitude of a potential customer or supplier. I'm SO happy I'm retiring in a few years.
I'm happy you're retiring too, we need less people like you out and about.
Load More Replies... i always use "anyways.... [Blue]" (17Enby, not sharing my name so u get my internet one :) )
“Businesses noticed that Gen Z’s attitude to work is completely different from other generations” … they don’t like to actually do work.
We work for money for a living. Why else would we work? We do what we have to
Load More Replies... This company sounds like it is run by children. No professionalism whatsoever. Wouldn't do business with them at all.
I'm an older millennial and it's not my cup of tea either. Even if I like my coworkers, we're never going to be cool enough for it to be okay for you to drop f bombs in an email to me. We're not friends.
Load More Replies... 
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