With the generation of tomorrow’s workforce here today, companies are turning their focus to hiring Gen Z in the workplace. These up-and-coming employees have innovative ideas and a different opinion on the modern workplace.
Gen Zers won’t want to enter into a stale environment with a slow growth space. With such an eager, enthusiastic workforce at your disposal, it can be tempting to jump in with both feet as soon as possible and start hiring.
However, as a business owner or manager with experience in hiring and engaging Millennials, you have to pivot and educate yourself on how to hire Gen Z in the workplace.
The Gen Z Takeover
Gen Zers were born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. They are expected to make up 34% of the workforce by 2030.
The majority of Gen Z spends over 10 hours a day on different devices. They have never known a world without iPhones and iPads, and are more technologically advanced than their parents.
Having grown up during one of the most challenging economic periods in recent history, they are characterized as being more practical, resourceful, and individualistic than previous generations.
The oldest of this new generation are now entering the workforce, and employers have a unique opportunity to appeal to their unique skill sets.
7 Things to Consider When Hiring Gen Z
Trying to understand the Gen Z generation through traditional methods is a mistake. They are less motivated by money compared to previous generations, but rather by experiences. Gen Zers also expect employers to be more flexible.
Hiring Gen Z requires both mindset changes and the willingness to make significant cultural shifts.
1. Company Culture
In the workplace, the Gen Z generation embraces casual dress codes and flexible schedules. They like working independently, but also value teamwork and collaboration.
Gen Zers want to work in an environment that they feel is open and honest. And most importantly, they’ll only stick around if they feel like their job is meaningful and making a difference.
Business owners need to pay attention to how these new workers want to communicate (or not communicate) with their supervisors. According to a survey from the Center for Generational Kinetics, 40% of Gen Zers said they would like daily communication with their supervisor.
However, they don’t have a lot of tolerance for managers who don’t listen to them or provide feedback regularly.
2. Diversity & Inclusion
Gen Zers have different ideas about diversity and culture than other generations. They’re used to seeing people who look like them in movies, TV shows, and ads. They expect to see diversity reflected in the workplace, too.
With 77% of Gen Zers saying that diversity affects their decision to accept a job, companies need to work on building both an ethnically diverse and multi-generational workplace.
3. Benefits
As a generation that seeks security and stability, benefits are a huge selling point for Gen Z in the workplace. One study has found that 70% of Gen Zers consider health insurance coverage as a top priority when considering whether to accept a job.
They are also eager to seek remote work, so providing a remote-first company culture can make your company look more attractive to top Gen Z talent.
4. Work-Life Balance
Gen Z is one of the first generations to understand the importance of work-life balance early in their careers. A GoBanking survey shows that 42% of Gen Z lists work-life balance as an important factor when choosing a job.
Employers can cater to this through remote work activities and building a culture of rest. Companies should incorporate stronger mental health initiatives, such as offering employee wellness programs.
TeamBonding’s Employee Wellness Program is an easy way to focus on building a solid wellness strategy for Gen Z in the workplace. This is a strengths-focused program led by an online facilitator, and is great for helping your team re-focus and work through challenges.
Many companies also understand the impact of meditation on workplace mental health. TeamBonding’s Meditainment activity, which takes groups on a multi-sensory meditation journey, is an easy way to introduce meditation to your team.
5. Technology
As a generation that grew up hyper-focused on technology, it makes sense that they are comfortable with using different kinds of tools and technologies in the workplace. According to a survey by Dell, 80% of Gen Z employees want to work for companies that use the latest tech.
Gen Z weaves technology into every aspect of their work lives, and you are more likely to see them breeze through what other generations considered time-consuming (spreadsheets, anyone?).
6. Pay
Similar to healthcare benefits, a study by Monster found that 63% of Gen Z also report income as one of the top motivators for accepting a position. According to LinkedIn, 59% are also willing to learn a new skill if it will give them a pay raise.
Since this group of employees is predominantly focused on entering the healthcare, business, and tech industries, they expect to be compensated with livable wages for their work.
7. Corporate Responsibility
Gen Z wants to know what goes on behind the scenes, which means they aren’t going to be loyal employees if they feel like their employer isn’t socially responsible. This group is well aware of corporate scandals or worker exploitation, and they’re not going to accept it when a company tries to hide behind its brand image.
You can offer the best benefits package in the world, but if your employees sense that there is something wrong with the way you treat people, they won’t stick around for long.
TeamBonding has its finger on the pulse of corporate social responsibility and has activities that can help you usher in a culture of advocacy. Healthcare Heroes is an interactive team building activity that promotes giving back by encouraging employees to donate care kits to their local emergency room.
Paws For A Cause is an excellent choice for animal lovers. It helps your team support local animal charities and promote teamwork.
How to Retain Gen Z Employees
The key to keeping Gen Z employees happy is to give them a sense of control over their job and career paths. By providing more autonomy and flexibility in how they work, you can help them feel a stronger connection to the company.
Treat them like adults — even when they’re not. Gen Z in the workplace is eager to prove they can handle advanced career responsibilities. Give your young employees projects that allow them to feel like part of the team. They will appreciate the opportunities to show off their skills and feel valued by the organization.
Give them room to grow — and make sure they know about it. Gen Z employees want constant feedback on their performance, so make sure you provide it regularly and honestly. If you do this well, Gen Z workers will be your biggest advocates inside the company.
Foster a positive company culture — and give your Gen Zers a reason to love working for your company. Interactive team building activities such as Virtual Happy Hour and Dragon’s Hoard are perfect for energizing the team and encouraging employees to build stronger bonds.
Recognize their contributions — especially publicly. Gen Z employees have grown up on social media and crave recognition because they want to be respected by their peers online as well as in person.
Appreciate their efforts — especially when they go above and beyond their job descriptions. Gen Z employees need to see themselves as valued members of the organization.
The Bottom Line
The oldest Gen Zers are now entering the workforce, and the youngest are graduating high school. This means it’s time for you to start learning about the people who will be coming up through your ranks.
Gen Z is already changing the workplace, and you must understand what your company needs to do to attract, engage, and retain these individuals.
In addition to high salaries and healthcare benefits, company culture is one of the first they will consider before choosing to work for you. Make sure you are offering your Gen Zers a supportive work environment that centers around flexibility and inclusivity.
TeamBonding can help your company build a stronger, more connected, and harmonious workforce. Check out our vast portfolio of virtual and in-person team building activities, and contact us today to learn more about how we can customize each event to fit your team’s needs.
