There’s a lot to be said about Generation Z. They’re the youngest siblings of Millennials, the last generation to play outside as kids, and they frequently hear they spend too much time on their phones and devices. But when it comes to work, what are they really looking for in a career? What are they passionate about? Here are 6 insights into Gen Z patterns, written by and from the perspective of a Gen Zer.
Members of Club Gen Z have birth years falling between 1995-2010. Quickly that means in today, Gen Z members range from 11- to 27-years-old. While a large percent of older, senior Gen Z members have been navigating the workforce in some capacity, as the next wave prepares to enter, how can you motivate, inspire and retain valuable Gen Z employees.
1. Something to believe in
Gen Z employees value social causes; they are obsessed with the world around them. Topping their list of social causes are climate change and human rights.Statistically, this group is concerned with benefiting our fellow man over, say, the hottest, most trend-forward automobile or status symbols of their elders. This isn’t to say that Gen Z is the most altruistic of generations, but it does impact the type of work and the type of company this generation seeks out for career opportunities. In terms of job outlooks, a large number of Gen Z is seeking jobs in business, healthcare, and tech. Their goal isn’t necessarily to change the world, they are quite seriously concerned about saving it. They want to have a social impact.
2. Supportive environment Gen Z members want to know that they are valued employees. They perform best in supportive environment. Culturally, they’re not interested in working solely for a paycheck; if they’re going to dedicate their time to anything, they want to be sure that it’s not soul-sucking. When it comes to accepting an job offer, they seek meaningful work and rank job duties and responsibilities higher than any previous generation. In fact, most Gen Z employees will accept a job with less pay if they feel the organization values their contribution. And if the culture drains them, they have no issue walking away from a job. They’re not overly concerned about having a big name corporate brand on their resume. It’s about the work and the work culture.
3. Skepticism and trust As the first generation of the digital age, Gen Z was raised in an era of information, both accurate and inaccurate. As the exposure to misinformation has increased, many Gen Z members experience difficulty trusting information and authorities. As a group, they respond best to facts and straight-forward communication. Most aren’t interested in making small talk or mincing words, they’re looking for honesty and authenticity. Be clear, be precise, be accurate, and be polite, and they’ll respond in return.
4. Freedom within stability Environments with freedom, flexibility and independent work attract Gen Z. This generation flourishes in a culture that empowers them to work their most productive hours, even if they don’t fall perfectly within 9 - 5. Gen Z are proven team players yet function best when given the freedom to prioritize and tackle their responsibilities in they own way, their own pace and preferably within their own space. By no means does this mean they shirk their deadlines. They take them as seriously as any prior generation, rather they thrive when they are able to determine a timeline for getting tasks done. Gen Z prefers to have a boundary between work and home, leaving “work at the office.” At the core of this is freedom. Their personal lives have a direct bearing on their work life. They place value on mental health and life outside of work, and this energizes them to do better work. Organizations that share this value will attract and keep their Gen Z employees.
5. Keep the info flowing
Many Gen Zers feel the education they received was insufficient and are unprepared to enter the workplace, regardless of their degree or portfolio from a prestigious school. Training programs and thorough onboarding set-ups help Gen Z employees feel better informed and grounded within the workplace. They’re not looking for you to hold their hand, but as the first truly digital native generation who grew up with information at their fingertips, they’ll function better with information made available to them. Prepare to give them all the necessary information to hit the ground running standards, requirements, deadlines or at the onset of a project.
6. The 8-Second Attention Span It’s no myth, Generation Z has some attention issues. They’ve grown within a fast-paced world, and their tech is only picking up speed. Most Gen Z employees are tech savvy and mobile-minded, comfortable with apps and intuitive with social platforms. To keep their attention, make content relevant and engaging. Is this an area that could cause potential issues within the workplace? Yep. Their brains have grown accustomed to constantly filtering through information processing a lot and quickly, so Gen Z employees may need to take more frequent breaks throughout the day or work at a schedule that differs from the usual 9-5.
Generation Z employees are hard-working, motivated professionals, driven to make a difference in their work. They’re drawn to jobs that enable them to make an impact on the world around them and offer them latitude and opportunity to address social issues and help others. With their technical proficiency, intuitive processing and independence, they not only make great additions to your workforce, but with support, information, and individual freedom, you’ll have employees that stay and grow a company.
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