Generation Z employees have already been in the workplace for some time now. Those classed as Gen Z or ‘Zoomers’ are generally born between 1997 and 2012, meaning the oldest Gen Zers are likely to be approaching their thirties in the next few years, and could even be moving up into more senior roles in their industry.
Generation Z brings a whole host of benefits to their employers with new ideas, skills and core values that drive business leaders forward, force them to do better for their employees, the wider community and the world, plus they bring a huge helping of innovation and technological skills compared to previous generations of workers.
As an older manager, business leader, or business owner, though, you might need some tips to help you get the balance right when working with Gen Zers. Connecting to the younger generation in the right way can feel a little uncomfortable or awkward at first, as though you don’t really fit in with their way of thinking. After all, Gen Z team members seem to have an entire language of their own. But just because you heard the word ‘slay’ and initially thought of dragons, doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to meet the expectations of your younger employees.
Gen Z workers (and the next demographic cohort ‘Generation Alpha’ born since about 2010) are the future of your workforce, so if you want to retain Gen Z talent and attract new talent, you’ll need to effectively manage them to get the most out of this generation with their new ideas of what a workplace ought to represent.
What’s Important To Gen Z Workers?
In order to effectively manage Gen Z employees you first have to understand what they’re looking for from their time at work. Gen Z are markedly different to some of the generations before. Gen Z in the workplace looks very different because of their desire for true work-life balance in a way other generations haven’t had the confidence to demand in the past.
Any questionnaire sent out to employees regarding priorities at work or better management styles will show a clear difference between Gen Z respondents and others. Getting just a rough idea about what they want from their working life is a vital starting point when trying to prepare your business for Gen Z employees.
We can’t speak for your specific Gen Z employees, but common things this younger generation often look for from their workplace and employer are:
- Continuous learning opportunities & skill development
- Clear career development
- Mental well being and mental health prioritised
- Flexible hours and working
- Job satisfaction
- Opportunity to be independent
- Collaboration and teamwork over corporate ladder and hierarchies
- Open communication that’s clear and meaningful
- Regular check-ins
How To Meet Gen Z Employee Expectations
As a business owner it’s important that you and your employees, managers, and team leaders are all on the same page. So we’re not saying you have to switch your entire business set up to satisfy one group of workers, but it’s important to future proof your business and make it an attractive option for the next generation of workers, while also improving your offerings for your older employees too.
So, what can you do to make your business more Gen Z and younger generation friendly?
1. Make Sure Skill Complacency Is Stamped Out
This ties into the idea that Gen Z employees expect continuous learning and skill development opportunities, because they don’t ever want to get bored or comfortable at work. For many Gen Zers, if you aren’t moving forward then you’re actually going back, but this is true in all areas of business too.
By up-skilling, re-skilling and providing learning opportunities to your workers you’re encouraging innovation, new ways of thinking and new skills in the workplace. This pushes forward the best ideas, products and services to the fore of your business, making you more competitive in your industry as a result.
2. Offer Clear Career Paths
Gen Z employees aren’t happy to enter the ‘rat race’. They don’t want to find a job at 21 and stay in that lane until they make middle management at 45 and senior management at 55. They want to know that they can progress now, that there are clear paths forward available so they can show off their skills, develop further and show their worth.
If your business has a more traditional approach to career progression, then it may be worth considering the value of new skills and diverse perspectives in management positions earlier, rather than waiting for their ‘time served’ to increase before being welcomed into positions with more responsibility. It allows for new ways of thinking at the top of your business which will only serve to trickle down and foster an environment that encourages growth for all.
3. Prioritise Employee Mental Health
Previous generations formed hard barriers between their work and personal life, so that neither trickled into the other. But Gen Z employees recognise that a hard time at home can’t just be left at the door when they walk into the office, log on, or start serving customers.
When businesses and employers recognise this too, you create space for employees who need support during those more difficult times in their lives. This actually increases productivity overall as you help employees tackle the work they’re capable of whilst lightening their loads wherever possible. You’ll get more from supported workers than you ever would from an employee who is dealing with problems behind closed doors. Make mental well being a priority in your workplace and you’ll make a real difference to all workers.
4. Offer Flexible Working Patterns
We said at the start of this that work life balance is important to Gen Z. But work life balance is important to all workers – Gen Z were just the first ones to start demanding it as a reasonable expectation of their employers.
Flexible hours and working patterns are slowly becoming the norm. With work from home options becoming more common this obviously helps. But as an employer you can also offer more flexible options by allowing employees to make up time over the course of a month or week if they need to leave early on a particular day for an appointment, etc. Flexibility should be offered to employees who prove themselves to be reliable and trustworthy, helping them feel respected and as though their needs are being met as they meet the needs of the business.
5. Ask Employees What You Can Do
Gen Z employees make job satisfaction a top priority. They’re the first generation of workers that really won’t settle for less – if they aren’t 100% happy in their job, then they will move to a place where they are. Obviously, it’s impossible to know what keeps every individual employee satisfied in their job, so there’s only one thing for it: ask.
Suggestion boxes, anonymous questionnaires and asking directly all have their own pros and cons so it’s worth using a combination of these to gather the information you need. That way you can be sure you’re getting the honest reactions you’re hoping for to ensure you retain employees based on their job satisfaction.
6. Trust Your Employees
If Gen Zers are looking for the opportunity to be independent in the workplace, then it’s best to trust them and give them the opportunity to show off the skills they have. Micro-managing Gen Z employees (and all employees for that matter) is never a good idea. It leads to less productivity, not more, and is also just exhausting for you as a manager and business owner.
By trusting your employees and giving them the independence and space they need to grow, you allow them the opportunity to develop their own skills and learn how to manage their tasks alone. This can increase how efficiently they complete those tasks too.
Micro-managing is essentially you telling someone else how it should be done – you’re teaching them to act like you; think like you. But by leaving them to work independently, you open the door to new ways of thinking which can change the way you do business for the better.
7. Encourage Collaboration
Whilst Gen Zers crave independence, they also want the opportunity to collaborate with others to learn, grow, and connect. With rising work from home and remote work opportunities, Gen Z employees are still looking for opportunities to collaborate so they don’t just exist in a vacuum and stagnate in terms of their skills and career aspirations.
With Gen Z employees also carrying some of the most advanced technological skills, they are often more than happy to work collaboratively via Teams or similar digital tools to get that sense of collaboration whilst also working remotely. Days in the office also help foster natural collaboration across the team, too, of course.
8. Use Open & Clear Communication
If you’re going to provide younger employees with the freedom and independence they crave, it’s incredibly important that you create an environment where open communication is encouraged. That way, if they run into problems or notice issues, they know they can share what they think with confidence and their contributions will be valued.
Part of that open and clear communication has to involve you communicating clear expectations, too. Many Gen Zers will find themselves in their first ‘proper job’, meaning they might not know what they can and can’t do. Make it clear from the beginning, and Gen Zers (and HR leaders alike) will be thankful for the professional boundaries that have been set clearly.
9. Check In Regularly
Checking in with your Gen Z employees is one of the most important things you can do for their professional development – as well as personal development. Younger workers welcome constructive feedback if you have any, and otherwise just like to see a present boss that wants to check in and connect now and then.
To manage this generation effectively you have to meet their expectations of what a workplace, business and business owner should be. For the most part Gen Z’s expectations are reasonable, and meeting them simply involves working with your employees to foster an environment that’s enjoyable and productive and that works for all employees, not just those from Gen Z.
Are You Ready To Welcome Gen Z Talent To Your Workplace?
For you, as a business owner, to effectively mentor Gen Z, you have to recognise that most employees feel valued when their expectations are met. You don’t have to go above and beyond, and you certainly don’t need to lose sight of the fact that you’re the owner and you’re employing your workers to carry out work on behalf of the business, so there are minimum standards of professionalism to uphold.
But in the past, where a stiffer upper lip was the norm and wellbeing was rarely considered, perhaps it’s time for a change to accommodate this newest generation of workers. And many think that Gen Z individuals have an approach to work that gets results. Make space for communication, collaboration, productivity and progression whilst respecting independence and flexibility and you’ll satisfy not only the Gen Z employees, but every worker as they adjust to a more positive, employee-focussed approach to working life.
