Gen Z Avoids Phone Calls, and It May Be Hurting Careers
Smartphones have made it easy to do almost everything except the one task they were originally built for: talking. New research suggests many Gen Z users see phone calls as stressful or even anxiety-inducing, so they keep phones on silent, ignore unknown numbers and prefer texting instead. The behavior has even spawned the label “callergy,” and thousands of TikTok videos on the subject reflect how common the feeling has become.
Recent surveys quantify the trend. RiseGuide, in a poll of 2,000 people in their 20s, found that 42% do not bother answering calls at all, while 58% rehearse what they will say before placing a call. A separate ReverseLookup.com survey of 9,482 Gen Z respondents, ages 18 to 30, in the US, UK, South America and Europe found that 69% keep their phone on silent most of the day and 74% routinely ignore calls from unknown numbers. Many say the behavior is reasonable because of spam, scams and telemarketing, and 53% described unexpected calls as an invasion of privacy.
But the same habit can hurt them professionally. In the ReverseLookup.com survey, 78% said avoiding calls had cost them opportunities or salary. The article notes that older managers still expect immediate availability during work hours, and human resources teams often rely on phone calls for first-round interviews and scheduling. Jamie Campanella, a senior adviser at RiseGuide, told Business Insider that the more people delay difficult calls, the more intimidating they become. He said this leads to missed opportunities, damaged relationships and wasted energy worrying about issues that could be solved directly.
Campanella added that modern technology gives people “countless ways to postpone real conversations,” which prevents communication skills from improving. He said texts, email and social media allow time to edit responses, unlike live conversation, which demands an immediate reply. One 22-year-old medical student said he prefers texting because it lets him plan and revise what he wants to say. Businesses are adapting, with some now arranging calls by text and others leaning on chat and messaging support. The article also notes that this is not unique to Gen Z, since a 2023 Sky Mobile survey found more than 75% of Gen Y prefer texting over calling. As Duncan Brumbly of University College London told the Irish Times, the device is now “basically a small computer,” with only a small share of its use devoted to calls.
