Pick up the phone and call. Simple enough advice - unless you're part of a generation that grew up doing almost everything else but that.

According to research highlighted by recruitment firm Robert Walters Belgium, phone anxiety is far more common among Gen Z than among older generations. And the gap is significant. While many millennials and boomers think nothing of picking up the phone to sort something out, a large share of 18–25-year-olds find the idea genuinely stressful - sometimes to the point of avoidance.

Why Gen Z specifically?

It comes down to how this generation learned to communicate. Gen Z grew up with texting, messaging apps, and social media as their default channels. These tools share one important feature: you can think before you respond. You can edit, delete, and take your time. A phone call offers none of that. It's live, unscripted, and unforgiving of silence. That's not a personality flaw - it's a habit gap. Gen Z simply has far less experience with voice calls than previous generations did at the same age. Less practice means less confidence, and less confidence means more anxiety.

The generational divide at work

This matters beyond personal comfort. In professional settings - internships, job interviews, workplace communication - phone calls are still a daily reality. Older colleagues and managers often default to calling without a second thought. For a young employee who finds calls stressful, that gap can quietly hold them back: avoiding calls, missing opportunities, or coming across as less proactive than they actually are.

Robert Walters notes that employers are increasingly aware of this divide, but awareness alone doesn't close the gap for young people entering the workforce.

The fix isn't courage - it's repetition

The good news is that phone anxiety responds well to practice. The more calls you make, the less threatening they feel. The barrier isn't who you are - it's simply what you haven't done enough of yet.

That's the gap Cello is designed to close. Low-pressure, realistic call practice so that when the real moment comes, you're ready.