Gen & Tonic: Workplace Culture with a Twist

Jason Loomis

Gen & Tonic – Workplace Culture with a Twist explores how different generations show up at work—and what happens when they collide. Hosted by voices from Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, this podcast breaks down real workplace dynamics, from leadership and communication to ambition, burnout, and everything in between. Expect candid conversations, practical insights, and a few strong opinions—served with just enough edge to keep it interesting.

Episodes

  1. Oct 19

    Is AI coming for our jobs?

    AI Is Coming for Our Jobs. We’re Considering Bartending. Three generations. Three microphones. And one host warning about AI while admitting it writes better emails than he does. This week on Gen & Tonic, Jason, Sara, and Elisabeth debate artificial intelligence at work: who benefits, who gets left behind, and whether saving time means anything when you spend the whole weekend trying to keep up. Jason brings the Gen X existential dread. Elisabeth makes the case for human skills. Sara would like to automate everything and possibly relocate to a beach bar. Honestly, the business plan has potential. On the menu: • AI and entry-level jobs: how do you get experience if nobody hires beginners? • Better thinking—or just outsourcing your brain? • Why faster work might mean faster burnout. • How each generation actually uses AI, including some inconvenient admissions. Come for the workplace debate. Stay for three professionals slowly talking themselves into a career change. Subscribe for more workplace culture with a twist. Stay shaken, not burnt out.

  2. Sep 28

    Can Politics and Work Actually Mix?

    Politics at work: a great way to build deeper relationships… or completely ruin happy hour. This week, Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z walk straight into the topic every HR department would prefer they avoid. Would you work for a company whose politics you hate? What if they doubled your salary? Should you care who your CEO votes for? Are corporate political statements genuine—or just expensive virtue signaling? And when exactly did vaccines, parental leave, and seemingly EVERYTHING become political? Sara argues that Gen Z cares more because they grew up surrounded by this stuff. Elisabeth thinks people with completely different beliefs can actually become closer if they stop attacking each other long enough to get curious. Jason’s Gen X solution is considerably simpler: keep your politics to yourself, work for Evil Corp if the check clears, and enjoy the direct deposit. Somehow, they also get into corporate lobbying, social-media echo chambers, political conversations over drinks, whether everyone has a price, and why telling your coworkers who you voted for might be a spectacularly bad career strategy. Three generations. Zero political endorsements. Several questionable opinions. Can politics and work actually mix? Or should everyone just shut the hell up and get back to work?

  3. Sep 7

    Return to Hell...ahem, to Office

    In our inaugural episode, we tackle the spiciest topic in modern work culture: Return to Office (RTO) — and no, not the band (but if you got that reference, we already know your generation 👀). Gen X says: “Get back in the office — culture doesn’t build itself.”Millennial says: “Can we just… compromise and also not lose our sanity?”Gen Z says: “I want office culture… but not this weird, half-empty Zoom purgatory.”We get into: The myth of productivity (are we working… or just Slack’ing harder?)Why Gen Z feels like they got the short end of the corporate stickOffice “collisions” vs. calendar invites from hellWorking from Hawaii vs. actually workingAnd yes… whether your love life might depend on going into the office 😅It’s part debate, part therapy session, and part generational roast — with just enough truth to make everyone slightly uncomfortable. No conclusions. No consensus. Just vibes, strong opinions, and a lot of “it depends.” Welcome to Gen and Tonic — workplace culture, with a twist (and maybe a drink).

  4. Aug 17

    Workplace Attire...pants or no pants?

    Three generations attempt to settle the question of workplace attire and, predictably, achieve no such thing. We debate whether a polished appearance still signals credibility, whether a well-fitted T-shirt is now business casual, and why women seem to require significantly more equipment to look “effortless.” There are Zoom calls, hotel-room backgrounds, makeup debates, job-interview double standards, and one fairly robust defense of the quarter-zip??? Somewhere along the way, we conclude that professional dress is less about strict rules and more about context, confidence, and knowing when your boss’s boss might suddenly appear on camera. In other words: dress for the job you want, unless the job allows yoga pants or no pants below the desk!

  5. Jul 27

    Is Gen Z Entitled?

    Is Gen Z entitled—or are they simply unwilling to accept workplace norms that previous generations tolerated without question? In this episode of Gen and Tonic, Sarah, Elisabeth, and Jason debate one of the workplace’s favorite generational stereotypes: the idea that Gen Z expects too much, wants success too quickly, and lacks the grit of previous generations. The conversation quickly expands beyond entitlement into the forces shaping how younger employees experience work, including remote-first careers, social media, instant gratification, economic pressure, AI-driven job displacement, weakened employer loyalty, and fewer opportunities to build relationships in person. The group explores questions including: • Is asking for work-life balance entitlement—or a healthy boundary? • Has technology trained an entire generation to expect immediate feedback and rewards? • Are younger employees less prepared for corporate life, or have leaders failed to teach them how the workplace works? • How has remote work changed mentorship, career development, and trust? • Why do Gen Z employees appear more willing to challenge unfair systems? • What skills will remain uniquely valuable as AI transforms the workplace? Jason introduces some blunt “Uncle Jason” career advice, Sarah explains why Gen Z feels the cards are stacked against them, and Elisabeth challenges leaders to replace generational judgment with curiosity, empathy, and better coaching. The takeaway: every generation believes the next one is entitled, lazy, or unprepared. The real leadership challenge is understanding what changed, teaching what is no longer learned naturally, and helping people build the relationships and resilience needed to succeed. And, apparently, putting the damn phone down. Gen and Tonic brings together three generations, three perspectives, and one honest conversation about leadership, culture, and the modern workplace. Subscribe for future episodes and join the conversation in the comments: Is Gen Z entitled, misunderstood, or both?

  6. Jul 6

    A$$hole...at work

    In this episode, we tackle one of the most universal workplace challenges: how to deal with a$$holes at work — professionally, strategically, and ideally without becoming one yourself. Gen X says: “Document everything. Power dynamics are real, and sometimes you just gotta suck it up.” Millennial says: “Stay grounded, get curious, and stop letting someone else’s dysfunction hijack your nervous system.” Gen Z says: “Don’t gossip, don’t escalate, and maybe discuss this with your therapist.” We get into: Why workplace a$$holery seems to travel upward with the org chartThe difference between speaking up and “coming in hot”Why gossip feels good but usually ends badlyWhen talking to coworkers is useful — and when it becomes toxicHow to keep someone else’s behavior from ruining your entire dayWhy empathy does not mean excusing bad behaviorReceipts, documentation, HR complaints, and protecting your careerAnd yes… whether some a$$holes are simply carbon-based inconveniences It’s part workplace survival guide, part therapy session, and part generational debate about whether difficult people need boundaries, empathy, consequences — or possibly all three. No magic script. No guaranteed personality transplant. Just practical advice for staying calm, protecting yourself, and refusing to let someone else drag you into their chaos. Welcome to Gen and Tonic — three generations, three takes on culture, and one important reminder: don’t be an a$$hole.

  7. Jun 15

    BLANK the Corporate World!

    In our inaugural episode, we tackle the corporate world — and depending on your generation, that phrase either sounds like opportunity, oppression, or a Slack message you forgot to answer. Gen X says: “Thank God for the corporate world. It paid the bills, built the career, and got me to Australia.” Millennial says: “Can we please build something with purpose before the culture falls off a cliff?” Gen Z says: “Screw the corporate world — respectfully. Or maybe not respectfully.” We get into: Why Gen Z feels burned out before they even really startedWhether “work hard and climb” still works when the game feels riggedThe broken social contract between companies and employeesStartups, purpose, burnout, equity, and roulette-wheel career choicesWhy Jason thinks corporate America is blackjack — flawed, but still the best odds in the houseAnd yes… whether your cat, your kid, or your future medical bills change how you think about work It’s part debate, part generational therapy session, and part corporate roast — with just enough truth to make everyone question their LinkedIn headline. No clean answers. No HR-approved consensus. Just three generations, three very different lenses, and one shared realization: people are hard, work is weird, and everyone might need a drink. Welcome to Gen and Tonic — workplace culture, with a twist.

  • 7 Episodes

About

Gen & Tonic – Workplace Culture with a Twist explores how different generations show up at work—and what happens when they collide. Hosted by voices from Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, this podcast breaks down real workplace dynamics, from leadership and communication to ambition, burnout, and everything in between. Expect candid conversations, practical insights, and a few strong opinions—served with just enough edge to keep it interesting.

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