HP exec reveals the Gen Z ‘superpower’ that he says helps young employees build ‘a healthy relationship with work’

George Brasher, HP’s North American senior vice president and managing director, is among them. In fact, he told Moneywise that the youthful cohort could offer older co-workers key lessons for growth in the workplace.

“The lesson is to stay curious,” Brasher said. “Experience is incredibly valuable, but so is being open to new ways of thinking and working. The strongest teams combine experience with fresh perspectives and that’s where some of the best ideas come from.”

This isn’t the first time Brasher has praised his Gen Z colleagues. In fact, he previously pointed to one specific “superpower” that he said helps “give them a healthy relationship with work.”

Gen Z is using their superpower to work smarter

Fortune recently reported that Brasher said having been raised in the digital era is Gen Z’s superpower, and that being “digital natives — and AI natives — really puts them in a great position” to create that positive relationship with work.

“I think Gen Z’s comfort with technology is a huge advantage,” Brasher elaborated with Moneywise. “They’ve grown up experimenting with new tools, so they’re often quick to figure out how technology can help them work smarter and solve problems differently.”

He noted that those who use AI most effectively do so by using it to prepare better and take “more routine or repetitive tasks” off their plate.

“That’s where Gen Z has a real opportunity. Use technology to become more efficient, then invest that time back into the things technology can’t replace: building relationships, earning trust and understanding what people need.”

And that’s particularly important, he noted, given that HP’s own 2025 Work Relationship Index Report showed the percentage of knowledge workers who have a healthy relationship with work dropped to only 20%.

Recent research, meanwhile, backs Brasher up.

A 2026 Deloitte study found that Gen Z uses AI for “advancing efficiency and work quality” on the job, as well as to “identify learning and development opportunities, seek career advice and cope with work-related stress.”

Meanwhile, Gen Z’s superpower also bodes well for the companies that employ them. AI use in the workplace can enhance “employees’ ability to manage demands and maintain balance,” increase job autonomy, reduce worker exhaustion and promote job enjoyment.

“[AI] creates more time for the work that people find meaningful,” Brasher added. “The goal isn’t to use AI to do more work. It’s to spend more time on the work that matters most.”

Five ways to use AI to work smarter, not harder

Of course, AI advantages can only take hold at work if an employer supports the use of the digital tools. And even Gen Z admits to experiencing “digital fatigue” and worries about AI eventually taking their jobs.

Still, both the number of jobs requiring knowledge of AI tools — and the salaries that can accompany them — are trending upward. And Brasher says he spends time with younger employees “to understand how they’re using AI and what they’re seeing, and I’ve picked up ideas that I can use myself and think about scaling across the organization.”

On-the-job learning — and investing in training courses that can enhance your skillset — are both great options. Until then, try these five easy ways to embrace AI and redefine your relationship with work: