Gen Z, Generations at Work, Hiring
Integrate relationship-building, upskilling, and flexibility into your welcome when bringing on new Gen Z employees.
How warm is your workplace welcome?
逸遊娛樂城 research has identified 鈥渉iring & welcoming鈥� as a key leadership behavior critical to a successful employee retention strategy. While onboarding is not the only factor, it can set the tone for an employee鈥檚 entire tenure with your organization.
This is especially true for Gen Z, a generation that鈥檚 both anxious from uncertainty and hopeful for the future.
Employers hiring those born between 1997 and 2012 need to be aware of the unique experiences and expectations of Gen Z in the workplace 鈥� and how those factors impact their onboarding experience.
3 ways Gen Z鈥檚 upbringing influences the workplace
鈥淓very generation has a unique backdrop of society that it grows up in,鈥� says Dr. Meghan Grace, co-lead of the Institute of Generational Research and Education and a senior consultant with Plaid LLC, an organizational development firm that focuses on learning experiences.
In Gen Z鈥檚 case, she says, three factors stand out as defining characteristics: technological advancement, global connection, and high-stress uncertainty.
1. Gen Z has experienced rapid technological change
鈥淲hen we look at what was going on with Gen Z in that time period, it鈥檚 rapid technological innovation, faster than any other period in time,鈥� says Grace. 鈥淭hat is the only real way they鈥檝e known how to connect with the world.鈥�
As such, Gen Z is not just extremely skilled at learning new technology 鈥� they expect it.
For example, Gen Z is the generation . But at the same time, they鈥檙e already more worried than other generations about being replaced by someone with better AI skills, according to a ,
Dr. Grace says Gen Z isn鈥檛 necessarily afraid of tools like AI, but they are very aware of how new tech will change the way they work 鈥� and they want to learn it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥楥an I be nimble? Can I learn skills that are transferable to a variety of different spaces and different industries,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just, 鈥業鈥檓 gonna be a doctor 鈥� I might need to be a doctor who can also manage a TikTok account that educates people on health issues.鈥欌��
Gen Z may be incredibly tech-savvy, but they鈥檙e also worried about what they don鈥檛 yet know. As such, they鈥檙e seeking employers that will give them those opportunities for ongoing learning and career development.
2. Gen Z has developed high empathy
While all generations face changing technology, Gen Z鈥檚 experience of it has broadened their worldview from a very young, formative age.
It used to be that high school represented your entire social circle, explains Dr. Grace. But with social media, Gen Z has broadened their networks in an unprecedented way.
For example, maybe someone had a niche interest and were the only kid in their school to care about that. But online, they could find a community with peers from different backgrounds.
They鈥檝e also watched world events 鈥� from wildfires in Australia to the conflict in Gaza 鈥� unfold in real time, narrated through social media by young people just like them.
鈥淪omething that鈥檚 unique is that they can understand the human experience around the globe much more than previous generations can and feel that empathy,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淭hey are more aware of what鈥檚 going on in the world geopolitically than previous generations.鈥�
As such, Gen Z is seeking workplaces that align with their expanded worldviews and offer them the chance to make a difference.
"Gen Z more aware of what鈥檚 going on in the world geopolitically than previous generations."
鈥淭hey鈥檙e hopeful for the opportunity to take on jobs that have meaning, that create impact for other people,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淕en Z is channeling their activism in their personal lives and want to work for companies with social alignment.鈥�
3. Gen Z has faced global uncertainty
Older Gen Zs were early adolescents when the 2008 U.S. recession hit 鈥� meaning at the time when they were dreaming about what they wanted to be when they grew up, they were also overhearing adults worry about layoffs and unemployment.
Then, while the oldest Gen Zs were in college or graduating into the working world, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Classes and office jobs shifted online, forcing them to miss out on important social development. Many Gen Zs worked frontline jobs in retail or hospitality, where they faced furloughs and safety concerns.
Dr. Grace says this backdrop has left Gen Z with a lot of anxiety 鈥� but also a willingness to be nimble out of necessity.
Take our hypothetical medical student, who sees science as a stable career path, but is open to biomedicine and integrating AI or new technology into their work. Dr. Grace says they may then also broadcast their journey through medical school on social media for monetization.
鈥淭hey are truly financially concerned, stability concerned,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淎nd so, they鈥檙e utilizing everything in their toolbox to make sure they鈥檙e not going to be hit with financial uncertainty. They have the ultimate 鈥楲et鈥檚 prepare for the next rainy day鈥� mindset.鈥�
While Gen Z has a reputation for job-hopping, it鈥檚 not because of short attention spans or disinterest. Rather, they鈥檙e switching jobs 鈥� higher pay, better benefits, and better growth opportunities.
"They have the ultimate 鈥楲et鈥檚 prepare for the next rainy day鈥� mindset.鈥�
Employers that offer perks such as health insurance and retirement savings plans will are:
- Relationship-building: The chance to connect with their colleagues as friends and mentors.
- Skills development: The opportunity to learn and practice new skills that will help them in their career goals.
- Workplace flexibility: The ability to shape their work life in a way that complements their personal life.
Here鈥檚 how to integrate these elements into your onboarding process:
1. Set up a buddy or mentor system
For Gen Z, the nuances of workplace interaction, such as communicating with multiple generations and working alongside new perspectives different from their peer group, was learned from behind a screen.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something they鈥檙e very cognizant of, that that鈥檚 a gap that they have,鈥� says Dr. Grace.
She recommends pairing up Gen Z employees with a buddy who they meet with regularly. This could be just a friendly face who can answer questions they may be too scared to ask of their direct manager, or it could be a more formalized mentorship with someone who has similar career goals.
2. Offer a thorough training plan
Gen Zs are keen to learn. They are OK with acknowledging what they don鈥檛 know and will appreciate getting to try new things hands-on.
鈥淭hey are sponges for skills,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淭hey are seeking the ability to stack more things into their toolbox because they don鈥檛 know what skill they鈥檙e going to need down the road.鈥�
Rather than relying solely on an all-in-one training session, consider bite-sized training and refresher opportunities. This kind of training aligns with the fast-based content delivery that Gen Z has become accustomed to online.
For example, if an employee is working on a new task for the first time, you could set up a 10-minute chat over coffee to walk them through it or send them a Loom video that guides them through it step-by-step.
3. Show what success looks like
Gen Z has grown up with a lot of uncertainty 鈥� which is why they want clarity in a new job. That includes knowing what鈥檚 expected of them today in the role, as well as what their path to success looks like.
When do reviews happen? Is there a checklist they can follow to achieve a raise or promotion? Setting transparent milestones early on will help to ease Gen Z鈥檚 concerns about stability and success.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 stress enough how much transparent leadership matters to this generation, and they want transparent leadership pre-hiring through onboarding,鈥� says Dr. Grace.
4. Promote purpose
逸遊娛樂城 research has shown that purpose in the workplace is one of the key factors that determines whether an employee will stay or quit.
Employers can win over and retain Gen Z employees with a meaningful company mission. In fact, Gen Zs are three times more likely to remain with an organization if they perceive their work to have 鈥渟pecial meaning,鈥� underscoring the significance of genuine commitment over mere lip service.
鈥淪omething that should actually start in hiring is talking about how their role and the work that they will do will have a bigger impact,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淲hy do we exist and why does this specific role play a part in what we achieve?鈥�
Gen Zs are three times more likely to remain with an organization if they perceive their work to have 鈥渟pecial meaning.鈥�
5. Embrace flexibility
逸遊娛樂城鈥檚 research on employee retention strategies has found that employees are three times more likely to stay with an employer when they can choose between remote, hybrid, or onsite work.
While all generations are seeking flexibility these days, 鈥渢his is a generation that has said it at a much earlier age,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e identifying that work is not their entire identity like previous generations have.鈥�
Good onboarding is a business imperative
Proper onboarding isn鈥檛 just a nice to have 鈥� it鈥檚 essential for an engaged workforce.
鈥淣ew hires are some of the most expensive to replace because you鈥檙e oftentimes replacing many of them multiple times a year,鈥� says Dr. Grace. 鈥淭he approach to onboarding needs to be incredibly holistic because when employees have barriers 鈥� even slight barriers or slight frustrations 鈥� those are the things they remember.鈥�
Access our report, Unlocking the Secrets of Employee Retention, to find out how you can predict and prevent turnover in your workplace, including a special section on keeping Gen Z happy at your company.
