Gen Z In The Workplace

The workplace is likely to go through a serious change as more than 67 million people who were born between 1996 and 2010 are about to enter the workforce in the US alone. The young population of workers obviously has different values and needs. 

As an employer or business owner, you have to accept Generation Z and come up with better strategies to meet their expectations. In this post, we will talk about how Generation Z is different from other generations, their expectations, and how they are impacting the recruiting process. Before digging deep, let’s quickly define Generation Z. 

What is Generation Z? 

Also called Zoomers or post-millennials, Generation Z is the population of workers that were born between 1996 and 2012, following millennials. They are digital natives who have never seen a world without smartphones. 

How Generation Z is different from Millennials 

To understand Gen Z, you have to find out how these young people are different from millennials, Generation x, and baby boomers. Here are some of the factors that differentiate Gen Z from Millenials and other generations: 

• Teamwork 

Since Zoomers are more independent, they like to solve problems themselves and focus on individual success. Millennials, on the other hand, like to have input from others and prefer to establish strong bonds with coworkers. 

• Diversity 

Racial and ethnic diversity is probably one of the core characteristics of Gen Z. They see diversity as a positive thing for society more than any other generation. 

• Mindset 

When compared to others, Gen Z has a more optimistic mindset when it comes to making decisions. They tend to be more cautious and rely on well-established ways of securing success. 

• Motivation 

If we study millennials, we will find out that they invest heavily in their team at work. Working with an employer that serves a social good is one of the factors that motivate them. Gen Z finds out ways to make a direct impact instead of relying on employers to support social causes.  

• Finances 

While millennials succeed financially to catch up, Gen Z takes financial success as an opportunity to get ahead. Also, millennials were used to taking loans to attend college and then go through tough times to repay. Gen Z, on the other hand, is more cautious when taking loans. So, they prefer to chase financial success now and invest in their development later. 

• Spending habits 

Millennials try to reduce their expenses: they watch out for deals and affordable prices that fit their budget. However, Gen Z is more interested in increasing their income rather than reducing their expenses. As a result, they are more willing to buy expensive products and services. 

• Attention span 

This one is pretty obvious: young people have shorter attention spans than millennials. This is because the young generation is surrounded by digital devices and distractions. Millennials have the same technology but they exercise some control over their digital consumption. 

Gen Z expectations and needs 

• Human interactions 

While Zoomers are born to be digital, their high-tech minds seek human interaction at work. A report found out that 90% of Gen Z like to have human elements integrated into the workplace. Modern workplaces are usually surrounded by technology, but the young generation of people like to have a touch of human connection. 

So, if you want to meet their expectations, you must ensure some level of human interaction. For example, if you have Gen-Z workers in your remote team, consider using video calls instead of phone calls. Offer your time and provide them feedback. Why? Because this generation seeks a team-friendly and collaborative environment at work, which is something more than social media or online contact. 

• Work-life balance 

Almost every employee wants to have a healthy work-life balance regardless of their generation. However, Gen Z views work-life balance as one of their top priorities when they decide to work with an employer. If you think Gen Z will play a key role in your business success in the future, be sure to offer an enticing work-life balance and reduce workplace burnouts. For instance, you should offer remote and flexible work opportunities. 

• The need for feedback 

Most organizations conduct performance reviews and job feedback once a year. When it comes to Gen Z, they can’t be satisfied with yearly performance reviews or feedback. They expect employers and managers to give them feedback on a weekly basis, if not daily. 

It might sound a little exhaustive for managers to provide weekly feedback in a way that’s trackable. However, with the right technology, you can easily track employees’ performance and provide them with measurable feedback. If your employees are expecting daily contact, sending out an email with a short message with an emoji is perhaps enough to keep them focused and on track. 

• Failure is an opportunity to improve 

Generation Z has a good mindset about feedback and failure. They take failures as opportunities to learn and grow. If we look at the stats, 80% of them think that accepting failure would help them become more innovative. 

Gen Z and recruitment 

For recruiters, it’s critical to understand how Gen Z searches for jobs. What channels are they most likely to use when looking for a job? How do they like to build relationships with organizations and recruiters? 

Gen Z candidates wouldn’t even apply for the job if your recruitment process is outdated. Therefore, it’s important to replace your old-fashioned hiring methods with the one that is more focused on innovation and building relationships. 

Here is what you can do to attract Gen Z: 

• Build strong relationships with colleges and universities to connect with Gen Z talent. 

• Implement the latest HR and applicant tracking systems to develop a tech-savvy recruitment process. 

• Develop a personalized communication strategy and share content based on their needs. 

• Use job description best practices to make your open role more appealing. 

• Integrate social media into your recruitment strategy. 

• Build an employee influencer network and ask your current employees to help you attract young talent. 

• Create a strong career page or site to highlight the most important information about your organization.