It is fascinating to realise that we have five generations working together in the workplace, each with their own work values, habits, motivations and contributions. The younger cohort of employees are now ready to enter the workplace and you are going to need to strategize now about how to deliver what Gen Z workers want in a job and how to attract them. According to Deloitte the Gen Z generation will soon surpass Millennials as the most populous generation on Earth, with more than one third of the world’s population counting themselves as Gen Zers or “zoomers”. But what is different about attracting Gen Z talent?
Gen Z employees grew up in an age of digital convenience. As quoted by the HR Exchange Network the amount of technological development that has happened between baby boomers (1947) and Gen Z (2020) is so vast that it has created two entirely different life experiences and hence two entirely different work expectations.
Gen Z are focused on experiences and having a meaningful life, therefore in their work they expect interesting work experiences where they can add value and feel they are doing significant purposeful work. Along with requiring stimulating work, 63% expect gratification for a job well done (CCB report)*.
Although Gen Z are looking for experiential and meaningful work money is still important to this group, no more or less than the generations before them. Half of Millennials and Gen Zs are concerned about their long term finances. Deloitte survey found that 50% of this group see their financial situation worsening or stagnating in the next year. They are a group that have watched their parents suffer during the 2008 market crash and have had the start of their careers interrupted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. They are acutely aware of how quickly things can change and want to plan financially. It’s not that money is not a motivator anymore it is just that they want fulfilment to go along with it!
With these characteristics in mind let’s look at some things you can do to be more appealing to top Gen Z talent.
Gen Zs pick right up where Millennials left off when it comes to flexibility at work and work life balance. This discussion had been opened and strides were being made before the pandemic, which escalated the issue to the extreme. Now Gen Zs are expecting hybrid working as a given. There is a mind-set toward focusing on work results rather than time spent at work. They have no interest in rigid work habits and this is where employers will need to trust their Gen Z employees. Make your flexible attitude clear in job advertisements and in your social media activity and throughout the recruitment process.
According to the CCB report* 75% of Gen Z workers prioritized a workplace that valued a healthy work life balance. Going hand in hand with a good work life balance is wellness. 2020 brought employee wellbeing to the forefront. Does your talent attraction strategy include an emphasis on employee wellbeing? Perhaps you have an Employee Assistance Programme? Are you lucky enough to have a staff discount at local gym? Do you arrange flu jabs or health assessments for your workers? If you do any wellbeing initiatives make sure you draw attention to it which can be easily done on your website and via social media channels.
Demonstrate how diverse and inclusive your business is. In a recent Monster.com survey, 83% of Gen Z candidates said that a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is important when choosing an employer. The benefits of diversity and inclusion in your business cannot be over stated. You may have an excellent dedication to this in your business, make sure that is made clear to your potential talent. Don’t misrepresent your organisation but only having photos of one “type” of worker on your website and only one type of worker on your interview panel.
83% want to work in an organisation that makes a positive impact on the world*. If you are a small business show how you are trying to improve the world around you in the local community. It may be something small like providing work experience for school goers or donating to local charity raffles. Although CSR is done out of goodwill make sure your Gen Z talent can see that you have a commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. For larger organisations there is often more impressive CSR activities to show case. The importance of CSR to Gen Z talent is paramount and they will want the opportunity to be a part of these initiatives. You can expect to be asked about this by them at some stage during the recruitment process so be prepared to excite them.
You are going to reach your Gen Z talent using technology. This group spend a lot of time online and that is where they will find out more about your business. You can reach them using targeted adverts on social media, have an easy online application process and video interviews. Make sure your website clearly demonstrates the message that you want them to receive, that your business has strong ethical values, prioritises diversity and inclusion, and corporate social responsibility. It is worthwhile to have a digital content strategy that speaks about your business and reinforces these positive messages about your business. This group like first contact to be made via instant messaging such as a chat functionality or via email or message on their phone. Your recruitment partner should be highly experienced with the latest technology practices and will be able to support you on this journey.
The experiential Gen Z worker seeking meaningful results focused work is going to find those experiences in multiple workplaces if it is not being provided by in their current job. In an economy where we are running out of people to do the work we need think positively about returning employees who have previously left your business. It is likely they left as they were no longer fulfilled in their role and perhaps you have new interesting work for them to do. Use technology to keep in touch with ex-employees and think positively about their return as they now have added skills and experiences that they did not have before.
Being open to lateral moves will also attract Gen Z talent. Allowing them reinvent themselves within your organisation rather than reinventing themselves in another organisation. 68% worry about career growth potential and 79% feel they have high ambition and drive when it comes to furthering their careers. Make development paths and career opportunities clear to them at recruitment stage. It is often asked about in interview. Having a defined progression path, employee testimonials to show or demonstrating how you yourself have progressed can be impactful. While some businesses are still getting to grips with the work habits of millennials, it is time to put our focus on the Gen Z group. They bring many talents such as innate tech skills, creativity, and will have a range of experience under their belt. What is better than a workforce that is energized and wants to add value?
As happens every time a new generation enters the workforce it is viewed by businesses as a challenge but should be viewed an as opportunity. Gen Z will add their shape on the world of work, we will adapt and will be better for it. Once we understand the motivators of this group their expectations will be met with less rolled eyes and sighs and with more optimism and excitement. Their views towards work may be different to the traditional and even out of the comfort zone of some younger millennials but business will benefit from a multi-generational workforce where each generations skills and motivations are contributing to success.
*CCB report – Gen Z Spotlight Report from the Washington State University Carson College of Business
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