How to catch some Z’s.

My first ever memory was using a smartphone; my parents are millennials and I witnessed the death of the DVD. In other words, I’m Generation Z.

The days of Generation Z are upon us. This year marks the first year where Gen Z makes up almost a quarter of the worldwide workforce so it is essential for businesses to be prepared.  So what can businesses do to attract and retain the workers of today?

Technology

Almost 100% of Gen Z-ers own a smartphone and on average spend between six and nine hours using social media networks. With Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat being the most prominent platforms for Generation Z to use, promoting your business via social media channels will raise awareness of your business with the younger generation.

Employers should also make the most of the first digitally-native generation.  Technology is not the strongest skill for many millennials in fact many Gen Z-ers would surpass the capability of millennials in terms of technology usage.  Start with your hiring process;

• Ensure your web/application site is suitable for mobile applications as 46% of Gen Z candidates have applied for a full time job or internship on a mobile device in comparison to the 38% of millennials.

• Instead of arranging an in person interview play Gen Z-ers at their own ball game by interviewing them via video call or even Facetime. 74% of Gen Z would rather connect with a colleague face to face than other formats however Gen Z doesn’t always equate face to face with in-person.

• Create a short video featuring other Gen Z-ers within your business just explaining what the role will consist of and what working at your business is like as Gen Z-ers are more likely to read reviews about your business and you would rather their first impressions be a good one.

Independence

Gen Z employee’s are also more self sufficient and independent in comparison to their predecessors. When they encounter an issue, they would prefer to address it themselves rather than speaking to someone else and finding out how to through another colleague. If you really would like to create a positive employee experience for this generation maybe take a step-back with the micro-management and give your employees  space to address their work in their own way – as long as they are hitting their targets.

Growth

Along with independence, career advancement also ranks high on the factors required when selecting a job role. Many Gen Z-ers would like to be in their dream position within 10 years.  Almost 75% believe that their first position should only last a year before they receive a promotion and around 32% feel it should be 6 months. If that promotion is not received Gen Z-ers are more likely to change job in pursuit of career growth. One study has found that 83% of Gen Z-ers would leave an employer if they didn’t see the right opportunities for career advancement.

Career advancement is not the only type of growth that is required for Gen Z-ers. Financial growth is also an important factor for them. Although studies show that 84% of Gen Z wants meaningful work that they also believe in, financial security is more important than any of the other factors.

Conclusion

Within the next decade we will see Gen Z-ers make up the majority of the worldwide workforce so employers of today should prepare themselves and ensure they are able to efficiently attract and retain our future workforce.  It should also be noted however, that the lifespan of these defined ‘generations’ are getting shorter and shorter so it’s wise to ensure that although provisions can be made for Gen-Z today, future changes will be needed to accommodate the subsequent generations that follow too.