Is there a Gen Z networking crisis?

The art of networking is fading from the modern workplace, with new research from the professional top talent network Nova finding that nearly two thirds (60%) of young professionals actively avoid in-person networking events, while around a third (29%) say they feel socially anxious when faced with real-life small talk.

The biggest challenges holding Gen Z back from making real life connections?  One in four (26%) dread awkward silences more than anything and one in five (19%) secretly hate small talk and wish they could skip it altogether – despite it being one of the simplest ways to build rapport and make professional connections.

The role of AI in this growing ‘networking deficit’ can’t be ignored. For many young professionals, the idea of walking into a room full of strangers without a screen to hide behind has never felt more daunting. Two in five (40%) now rely on AI when they don’t know what to say, while over a quarter (28%) admit they feel lost if they don’t run things past AI first. For Gen Z, AI has become a kind of conversational crutch – offering reassurance and polish, but also quietly reducing their confidence to communicate in professional environments without the ability to turn to AI mid-conversation to draft the perfect response. It may make it easier to find the right words, but AI is also changing how a whole generation connects.

Aston spoke to UK’s leading speech coach Susie Ashfield and Andrea Marino, co-founder & CEO at Nova.