Dive deep into these four realities of Gen Z to boost hiring, engagement, and retention.
This year the oldest members of Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2010) are 27. As of this year there will be more of them in the workforce than Boomers. Zoomers — as Gen Z is often called — will also replace millennials as the largest generation in the workforce by the early 2040s. That’s not that far away. In the meantime, they’re also setting both hiring teams and HR departments back on their heels when it comes to their expectations around work culture. So I’m sharing four critical realities you need to know about Gen Z — and incorporate into your organization.
Here’s a big caution: I’ve been privy to a number of conversations about how to get this new generation to better adjust to the realities of working. What I want to say is stop right there: Gen Z’s behaviors, values and expectations are too ingrained. They’re the first fully digital native generation. Many came through the pandemic and started working remotely, an experience that made a profound first impression. What they value in a workplace may not seem aligned with your understanding of what working means, but that’s not relevant to them. The truth is, they want what they want. Every generation has its own beliefs, but partially due to the digital transformation and social media, Gen Z’s are unshakeable.
What do I suggest? Use these points to adjust your work environment to the realities of Gen Z, and you’ll have better success when it comes to recruiting, hiring, engaging, and retaining this remarkable generation:
They’re the original digital and social natives.
Digital native isn’t just a term. This generation expects seamlessness and integration in technology, period. Social media isn’t just seen as a channel for expression and release: 54% of Gen-Z employees are on social media more than four hours a day and see it as a vital part of the current conversation, including work. They consider an organization’s social brand critical, and meaningful.
How to adjust: If you’re on the fence about AI-driven tools, virtual onboarding, and continuous digital learning platforms, time to make the shift.
They would rather work from anywhere.
Here’s the thing: generations before Gen Z, millennials and older generations discovered the advantages of flexibility and being able to work from anywhere. But many in Gen Z came into the workplace when remote was a necessity and got used to digital tools facilitating it. Many experienced remote education before entering the workforce as well. For them, being able to work from anywhere and having a flexible work schedule is a given, and represents a way of working they can relate to. 75% of Gen Z employees prefer flexible working hours and remote work options; they see the traditional 9-5 as woefully outdated — certainly coming into the workplace a couple days a week has its merits, but why all the time when we don’t need to?
How to adjust: If you’re an employer who can offer flexibility and work from anywhere to your workforce, do it if you haven’t already. The job satisfaction, engagement and productivity will more than offset the effort to make it work. Your Gen Z hired may tolerate the 9-5, stuck in the office workplace for a while, but it won’t endear them to sticking around. Be sure to keep the arrangements equitable.
Their angle on GenAI: Don’t take our jobs.
I come across two common organizational blind spots when it comes to Gen Z and GenAI, on somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum. Too often, I see leaders assume that digital natives will embrace any and all technology without a thought as to its implications. At the same time, while organizations debate the merits of GenAI to improve efficiency and promote cost savings, they’re often overlooking what Zoomers are truly concerned about. A Deloitte survey with nearly 23,000 Gen Z and millennial respondents found that 59% believe GenAI will lead to job loss. If they’re frequent GenAI users, that rockets to 71%. While they’re also using GenAI at work, and appreciate the time it saves them, they’re wary. That kind of wariness can translate into turnover.
How to adjust: By all means deploy GenAI in your workflows and processes. But be mindful of employee skepticism. Allay it by being transparent about your objectives here and be open to listening to (and appreciating) their concerns. Since Gen Z also craves growth and skills development, turn the use of GenAI into a net positive — give them a reason to embrace it, not resent it.
Their take on job hopping: it’s normal.
It used to be frowned upon to leave a job within two years — otherwise known as job hopping. But to Gen Z, it’s normal: a recent study found that 40% want to leave a job within two years — and 35% would leave even if they didn’t have a new job lined up. Another survey found that 73% of Gen Z employees had job hopped. Why? 8 out of 10 increased their salary when they switched employers. They also left for better growth opportunities and a better work culture. On that, circle back to the top three realities here.
How to adjust: I saved this one for last because it’s a vexing truth for hiring and HR teams. But the only ways to change a Gen Z employee’s mind and convince them to see their job in the long term are to offer the best salary you can, provide a terrific onboarding experience, and make sure there are opportunities for growth. Aside from that, bear in mind that it may not be a bad thing for new hires to keep moving until they settle into a situation that really suits them. With luck, you could be that employer down the line.
There are plenty of other Gen Z preferences: great communication and plenty of feedback, ample opportunities for innovation and autonomy within the role, a clear sense of diversity, equity and inclusion, and a focus on values. But what employers who succeed at hiring and keeping this restless generation are finding is that their presence is shifting the workplace in some unpredicted ways — they bring a clear sense of the future with them. It’s a good, healthy disruption.
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