Refine results
Preparing for the Gen Z Workforce

Workforce technology and workplace culture are in a constant state of flux, and this evolution speeds up as technology and innovation change the way we work, live and get things done. When millennials arrived in the workplace at the entry level, we needed a new word to describe them; their approach to jobs, life, and social interaction placed them in a class by themselves, and smart managers recognized that this cohort needed a different management style if companies hoped to retain them and make the most of their talents.
Now millennials are approaching 40, and the entry level is prepped for the arrival of a new host of recent grads. Again, smart managers are seeing a change, one significant enough to warrant a new name for these young workers (Gen Z), and new shift in how this cohort is attracted, retained, and managed. Here are a few tips that seem to work so far.
They care about longevity.
Gen X and millennials have reduced the stigma attached to what used to be called “job hopping”. They change employers as their lives and needs evolve, and they won’t hesitate to leave a current job for another with better pay, opportunities, or anything else. Since the recession, they’ve learned that “company loyalty” tends to be a one-way street, and they want none of it. Gen Z, on the other hand, puts some effort into remaining with one employer for a long time. We aren’t sure why, but when their employers or jobs fall short, they’re happy to give second and third chances before leaving. Don’t take this for granted, but recognize that these younger workers offer somewhat more than their predecessors in terms of patience, flexibility, and relationship building.
They’re digital natives (for real this time)
Gen X and millennials are comfortable with technology, but they can easily remember an age before universal smartphones. Gen Z can’t. Ubiquitous screens have surrounded Gen Z workers from their early childhoods and they haven’t known a world without them.
They care about each other and the world around them
Gen Z, as busy and stressed as they are, still have room in their minds and lives for events outside of themselves. Having lived through the recession, they may crave personal and financial security, but they don’t tend to sell out their values for personal gain. They really want their employers to be ethical, and they tend to treat themselves and others in the workplace with genuine respect. It’s a good idea to respect them in turn, respect their values, and avoid taking advantage of their good will, open minds, and open hearts.
For more on how to become the kind of company Gen Z workers want to join, turn to the workplace culture experts at Extension.