If you read the popular press, you’ll know that Gen Z (the under 30s) are often singled out for their ‘different’ attitudes to work. We're not talking about the influencers who make millions, but the graduates who join organizations run by people the same age as their parents and grandparents.
According to a recent report from Intelligent.com, six in ten employers have sacked Gen Z workers they hired straight from college. Three-quarters are unhappy with their Gen Z hires and one in six are hesitant to recruit Gen Zs in the first place.
Reasons given include lack of social skills for interacting with clients and colleagues, over-casual workplace behavior and higher career/work expectations than their Gen X and Boomer counterparts.
Human-skills training for better communication across the generations
To address this, some employers are giving graduates extra training to get them up to speed. Deloitte, PwC, KPMG and EY are offering junior hires soft-skills training, including presentation and leadership skills. It’s a logical move to help a generation of young people more at ease with instant-messaging and remote working than holding lengthy in-person conversations. And without this intervention, the communication gap between the generations may only widen.
But at Insights, we're excited about the positive aspects of this generation. Gen Z brings a refreshingly different set of priorities, skills and styles to the workplace.
It's clear to many organizations that Gen Zs view work differently from their predecessors. Where burnout was accepted as normal for previous generations, it’s firmly rejected by balance-driven, values-led young people. Deloitte talks about Gen Z actively resisting the ‘always on’ culture by calling for more flexible hours and protected mental well-being.
The key is to share knowledge across the generations, and learn from each other's diverse perspectives and experiences.
Gen Z are shifting our perceptions about work and personal fulfillment
Global career change experts Careershifters sum this up well: “Our hope is that this is the 'bridge generation' between the old world of careers and something much more creative, considered, and fulfillment-centric.”
Like Millennials before them, Gen Z are instrumental in shifting societal perceptions. Let’s not forget there was a time when flexible working and work-life balance weren't even considered, despite the fact we still had children to raise, elderly parents to care for and busy lives outside work. We have the Millennials to thank for introducing this shift in attitude that forced businesses to quickly adapt.
And now we know that multigenerational integration is vital to healthy workplaces, as we learn to identify, understand and leverage people’s diverse preferences. After all, work isn’t just about tasks, it’s also about bringing people together to form ideas sparked by these new connections.
The positives of working with Gen Z
- Dedication and commitment
Gen Z want meaningful work that makes a difference. And if they feel their employer shares their values, they’ll bring dedication and commitment at levels that many bosses only dream of. Their values-based approach makes them determined to contribute to a fairer, more humane society. - Energy and enthusiasm
Every organization needs fresh energy and enthusiasm to thrive, so let’s not dismiss Gen Z’s desire to disrupt the status quo. You might not get their long-term loyalty (definitely a thing of the past!), but you’ll get total focus while they’re with you. - A tech-savvy workforce
Most ‘Zoomers’ grew up immersed in tech, preferring text or email to face-to-face interaction. But to have young tech and AI experts in your organization gives you a distinct advantage. After all, conversational skills and better self-awareness can always be learned, with the right support. - Resourcefulness and adaptability
Twenty-somethings are extremely resourceful, adaptable and flexible. Given the many dramatic events of the last decade, they’re used to (and not scared by) big change. They’re often more willing to dive in and take risks than mid-lifers, and it’s the norm to take on other work outside the 9 to 5.
- Humanity, compassion and respect for individual choice
Gen Zs are less likely to compartmentalize work in the way their Boomer counterparts did, but they do know how to set work-related boundaries to protect their mental wellbeing. And their focus on respecting individual preferences reminds us about humanity and compassion in the workplace.
Tips on how to get the best from your Gen Z employees
- Re-evaluate the training budget. Incorporate more awareness of communication styles and preferences into your onboarding and development programs. Gen Z are strongly motivated by training and mentoring, and place high value on learning skills they can take with them to future jobs.
- Listen and communicate well. Younger employees expect more from their employers. They’re less willing to stay in roles that don’t fulfill them or give them the balance they need. Ask for their feedback and and act on it, and make sure you live by your organization's purpose and values.
- Challenge assumptions. Acknowledge that all generations make unfair judgments about each other that may need to be challenged. Take steps to educate not just Gen Z but all generations in your workforce about the importance of recognizing and respecting different preferences.
At Insights we talk about preferences, communication styles and personal values in terms of color energies (four main energies driven typically by four very different value-sets). This common language, now adopted through the Insights Discovery program across the globe by thousands of employees in hundreds of organizations, helps colleagues of all generations appreciate why and how the people they work with are motivated by different beliefs and values. It explores how this translates into a preference for a particular working style and how this affects behavior and the perceptions of colleagues and clients.
- Encourage dialogue and understanding. If you want to foster a more positive, empathetic working environment and culture, then accommodate Gen Z's desire for inclusion in decision-making. Be more collaborative and transparent by explaining your rationale behind decisions that affect them.
- Offer hybrid or flexible working. If it suits your industry, continue to offer hybrid or flexible working and set up regular in-person days. Face-to-face meetings provide valuable opportunities to learn about ourselves and others, and develop respect for diverse working styles.
- Create intergenerational networking events and mentorship programs. These should include options for reverse mentorship to help Gen Z actively connect to different groups, recognize other people’s values and share knowledge.
2024 research from LinkedIn found that only one in five people from Gen Z have spoken to someone over the age of 50 at work in the past year, while 44% of over-55s have ‘avoided conversations with the youngest generation’.
Remember that for Gen Z, it’s less about climbing the corporate ladder and more about making a difference and being recognized for their contribution. They will move on quickly if their needs aren’t met, or the job they’ve been ‘progressed’ into suddenly looks nothing like the one they originally applied for. Being promoted into roles where they do less of the work they enjoy, and more people-management, means learning a whole different skill-set, and that isn’t necessarily what all Zoomers want.
Respecting boundaries, each other, and the planet
Don’t be offended if your Gen Z employee works a second job. This generation is ultra-resourceful when it comes to making money, and their focus on building relationships and gaining knowledge outside work means they bring transferable business skills and connections back into your organization. Invite them to share what they’re learning outside of office hours.
Work-related stress is not something that Gen Zs are willing to put themselves through, so accept that this generation has healthier, more defined boundaries, and reward impact over presenteeism. Offer regular check-ins and encourage in-person meetings to increase connectedness and belonging, and make access to mental health and wellbeing services a normal part of workplace culture.
Finally, you might even consider copying communications firm Edelman. They created a Gen Z lab that advises C-suites trying to get to grips with the perceptions and motivations of those aged 14-26. Their research shows that this values-led generation tend to be heavily involved in social and political causes and believe that companies should be doing more to solve societal problems and act as respectful global citizens.
Insights Discovery is an L&D training system that creates high-performing teams by enhancing awareness and workplace relationships. Using a memorable four-color model to illustrate different behavioral styles, it creates a common language that connects colleagues across geographical and cultural boundaries, fostering collaboration, driving productivity and transforming workplaces.
