Hiring and Managing Employees from Generation Z

Generation Z – those born between 1996 and 2015 —account for more than 20% of the workforce now. They are prepared to offer another dimension to intergenerational teams, with fresh ideas and expectations for the working world. Are you and your team ready?

Unlike millennial employees who lived through the Great Recession, Gen Z job seekers have their own set of priorities about how the workplace should appear. They understand their worth, are prepared to bargain and are more willing to master new skills than any previous generation.

So, how do these generational differences affect managers? What managers and human resource teams should know about managing Generation Z personnel in the workplace is as follows:

What exactly is Generation Z? 

Gen Z is frequently defined as people born after 1996, with the oldest ones -- at 24 -- just recently entering the workforce. They grew up in turbulent times. Many in Gen Z saw what the Great Recession did to their parents' careers and houses. They are living through a worldwide pandemic that has resulted in unprecedented unemployment, a global environmental disaster, and political and civic turmoil. This affects how people approach work and life. 

Workplace Expectations of Generation Z 

Now that we've learned a little bit about Generation Z's history let's look at what's essential to them at work. When it comes to attracting and retaining personnel for entry-level roles, consider Gen Z's top goals to attract great talent:

Salary: Gen Zers are pragmatic, aware of the present employment environment, and conscious of their own value. They will negotiate for a better salary before accepting an offer.

Work-life balance: They, like millennials, seek work-life balance through flexible work hours and remote employment possibilities. They value workplace settings in which it is acceptable not to be connected 24 hours a day and where personal time is safeguarded, valued, and promoted.

Job responsibilities: Gen Zers aren't waiting to volunteer at their favorite non-profit organization to accomplish something important. They want work responsibilities and obligations that allow them to make a difference every day.

How to Manage Generation Z Employees at Work 

As the next generation of workers joins the workforce, you must build a culture that appeals to them and adapts to meet their requirements.

They must collaborate with a values-based, inclusive company. This is a huge deal for Generation Z, especially as it comes when they are more aware. 

Progression in Their Career 

The motivating factor behind Generation Z—the youngest group to enter the workforce—is financial incentives and prospective professional advances more than any previous generation before them. Employees in Generation Z want to know that their firm has a clear strategy for their professional growth.

The younger generation of employees wants to stay in their position for at least a few years, but stability isn't enough to keep them there. According to studies, 75% of Generation Z employees desire to swiftly progress up the corporate ladder and have possibilities for advancement within the first year.

Managers must offer financial incentives and promote career progression to keep these younger people interested and pleased at work. They should also make efforts to develop a culture and team spirit that encourages business unity.

Creating such an environment will assist reduce turnover, increase employee engagement (and hence income), and result in employees who strive to attain their maximum potential.

Communication and Collaboration Within the Team 

Social contact is important to Generation Z. So much that 51 percent prefer face-to-face communication with friends, family, and co-workers over texting.

Managers should establish a culture of teamwork in the workplace to attract Digital Natives to stay. You should also provide lots of opportunities for them to interact and communicate both in-person and online.

You may accomplish this by:

• Preferring video calls over phone calls.
• Arranging regular meetings to provide Gen Z with the personal connection they need.
• Not being stingy with feedback. Generation Z is always looking for validation and wants to communicate on a regular basis. Managers should check in frequently, provide insightful input, and schedule weekly feedback and performance evaluations.
• Engaging them in Social activities that promote team bonding.
• Taking a look at your communication channels. For day-to-day communication, Generation Z favors email, texting, and social networking.

Provide Flexibility and Promote a Culture of 'Unplugging'

According to Lauren Smith, vice president of talent acquisition research at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn., flexible work choices are anticipated. Generation Z employees choose to work from home or wherever they are most comfortable since they are typically more adept in digital technologies.

"They want to work from wherever it fits into their life," Smith said, referring to their bedroom, the workplace, a table at Starbucks, or even a beach lounge chair.

Managers should do the following if they wish to recruit Digital Natives and minimize excessive staff turnover:

• Implement flexible work schedules that allow for a healthy work-life balance.
• Encourage remote work and include opportunities.
• Encourage a culture of "unplugging" and respect for one's personal time.

Accept New Technology 

Technology and Generation Z are inextricably linked. This is the first generation that doesn’t remember a time before Wi-Fi, social networking, or the stress of illegally downloading tunes through LimeWire.

"Members of Generation Z... are true digital natives: they have been exposed to the internet, social networks, and mobile technologies since their early life," according to Kinsey & Company.

As a result, these younger generations have grown to anticipate the same amount of input at work, and they demand considerably more regular opportunities for involvement.

You may accomplish this by:

• Using instant messaging software.
• Encourage the usage of wearables, as well as the use of virtual reality in onboarding or training.
• Providing employees with access to massive open online courses (MOOCs).
• Developing an internal communication tool for employees.
• Utilize technologies to boost productivity in certain sectors. For example, Integrate email monitoring systems for sales, SMM tools for marketers, and so forth.

In general, the Gen Z workforce is obsessed with the most recent productivity stacks, thus promote the use of productivity tools inside your business. Instead of being overburdened, this will allow your staff to work more effectively.