Gen Z is the biggest population to hit our labor market in 60 years. Here’s (almost) everything we know about how to become their employer of choice.
Gen Z will dominate your workforce by 2025 because Baby Boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day. Here is how you can effectively recruit them into your workforce.
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DOES YOUR WORKPLACE PASS THE GEN Z TEST? FIND OUT IN THIS SPECIAL BROADCAST ON SEPTEMBER 19TH. REGISTER NOW!
Forget everything you think you know about managing Millennials in your workforce
Gen Zers, born after 1996, is already in your labor market. The leading edge of this generation is in their 20s. And you can forget everything you think you learned over the last 20 years about managing Millennials in your workforce. Gen Z is about to upend the game.
The truth is with the labor market so tight, none of us have the luxury of taking 20 years to figure Gen Zers as it took us to adjust to Millennials.
All of us who depend on the labor market have got to be on our A-game now because combined, Generations Y and Z will comprise a staggering 60% of your workforce by 2025 according to a CNBC analysis.
We’re sharing what we know and giving you the exact steps you can take to update your recruiting strategies, employer brand, and workplace culture starting today – to be the employer of choice for Gen Zers.
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Gen Zers have never known a world without smartphones, Wi-Fi, Google or social media.
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1. Digital recruiting needs to be highly visual
You’ve probably already transitioned most of your recruiting efforts to digital media such as job boards like Indeed and Monster, plus a careers page on your own website.
Reaching Gen Zers won’t be quite that simple.
This generation is more visually oriented, so they learn first about employment opportunities on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook. Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
But beware according to a report by SHRM. Gen Z doesn’t like employers pursuing them on their social media accounts.
According to SHRM, Gen Z prefers face-to-face conversations on FaceTime or Skype to email. They’re less likely to read written content, no matter how well done, unless the text is extremely brief.
Generation Z’s need for speed comes into play during the candidate selection process as well. SHRM reports that if your online job application takes more than 10 minutes to fill out, it will be abandoned midway by 60% of the applicants.
2. Online employer branding matters… more than ever
How well your business performs as an employer is now public knowledge, thanks to social media. Fair or not, any current or former employee can post a rating on websites such as Glass Door; and that’s where Generation Z goes to research your company. So, it’s important to monitor and manage your employer approval score as well as the company’s customer-oriented brand.
Attract Generation Z with brand building on the company’s social media pages. Virtual tours of the workplace and video interviews with current employees communicate your corporate culture and values in the visual way Gen Zers understand. Google’s 2-minute video tour is a brilliant example.
Best-selling author and Millennial expert, Gabrielle Bosché, reveals that a major difference between Gen Z and Millennials is that Gen Z is 1.3-times more likely to buy something if it’s recommended by a YouTube celebrity, where Millennials base buying decisions more on the reviews of friends and neighbors.
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Ms. Bosché’s big takeaway will give you an advantage over your competitors in recruiting: Gen Z will trust someone who looks like and sounds like them over a big-name celebrity.
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3. Digital connectivity on the job can be a deal breaker
A digitally enabled workplace is a high priority for Gen Z, who name Google, Amazon and Apple in their list of most desirable employers according to David Stillman and Jonah Stillman, authors of the book Gen Z @ Work.
Companies can position themselves as tech-savvy by installing collaborative workspace options and file management systems.
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Arizona Cardinal Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury is the first NFL coach to offer his players cell phone breaks during practice.
While Coach Kingsbury has roundly criticized on social media himself for giving players cell phone breaks, as a recent college coach, he already discovered that his team could focus better at team meetings and in practice drills when they knew they’d could count on 20-minute social media breaks throughout the day.
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For Generation Z, it’s perfectly normal to check their smartphones every few minutes for messages or status updates, even while they’re working. In fact, 67% of them say they experience a high level of stress when they can’t use their phone according to The State of Gen Z 2018, research by The Center for Generational Kinetics.
If this doesn’t jive with your company policy, strategies for dealing with it include:
Assessing the individual’s device usage during the hiring interview
Communicating (clearly and frequently) the reason for the policy
Encouraging the individual to resist the device-checking obsession
Providing a device-safe area or time period (similar to smoking zones and breaks)
Providing more enticing alternatives such as interactive learning apps
Setting up a text auto-responder for use during working hours
We should also note here the paradox that while tech knowledge has made Generation Z desirable for their hard skills, it has also created shortcomings in soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal communication, which previous generations took for granted as reported by Carolyn O’Boyle, Josefin Atack and Kelly Monahan from Deloitte Insights in Generation Z Enters the Workforce.
4. Gen Zers are willing to work their way up
In some ways, Gen Zers, born 1996 or later, continue the work/life trends initiated by Generation Y/Millennials (born 1977 – 1997), yet in others they are strikingly different.
Unlike Millennials with their often-cited sense of entitlement to career success, Generation Z grew up during the economic insecurity of the Great Recession.
They saw millions of their parents’ generation lose livelihoods and homes. What’s more, they’ve seen the news that Social Security may not be there for them by the time they retire.
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The foreclosures during the 2008 recession forced Gen Z to leave the homes they had grown up in. In addition to the shame of losing a home to foreclosure, they usually had to change schools when they moved, painfully leaving their friends at an impressionable age. These experiences, that most Millennials never experienced, shape the mindset Gen Z enters the workforce with.
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These experiences explain why, David Stillman and Jonah Stillman, authors of the book Gen Z @ Work, report that 75% of Gen Zers say they’re willing to start at the bottom.
That’s great news for employers who need to fill entry-level positions. And they’re more likely to provide good ROI, as 61% of them would stay with a company for ten years.
5. They are entering the workforce earlier
Given the untenable — and growing — burden of student debt for a traditional college education, many Gen Zers are looking for alternate routes to acquiring the knowledge they need. In one survey, 47% of respondents said they would consider entering the workforce straight from high school and 60% said they would welcome employers offering education in their field in lieu of a college degree. Others may choose more affordable technical or online colleges.
This means that the traditional formulas of recruiting from universities and the 20-21 age group will miss the boat in acquiring valuable talent.
______________________________________________________________________
DOES YOUR WORKPLACE PASS THE GEN Z TEST? FIND OUT IN THIS SPECIAL BROADCAST ON SEPTEMBER 19TH. REGISTER NOW!
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6. They prefer experience over benefits
We’re not saying Generation Z would sacrifice benefits such as wellness programs; rather, they take for granted that they will receive those. But they do give top priority to opportunities to gain professional experience. They want to know how the present job will help their long-term career growth.
Offering formal and informal training programs can be key to luring the cream of the Gen Z crop to your company.
For example, Amazon offers a tuition reimbursement program to employees with as little as one continuous year of service. Amazon pre-pays tuition, fees, and textbooks for certificate and associate degree programs in high-demand occupations.
Best-selling author and Millennial expert, Gabrielle Bosché, reveals that a major difference between Gen Z and Millennials is that Gen Z is 1.3-times more likely to buy something if it’s recommended by a YouTube celebrity, where Millennials base buying decisions more on the reviews of friends and neighbors.
________________________________________________________________
Ms. Bosché’s big takeaway will give you an advantage over your competitors in recruiting: Gen Z will trust someone who looks like and sounds like them over a big-name celebrity.
________________________________________________________________
3. Digital connectivity on the job can be a deal-breaker
A digitally enabled workplace is a high priority for Gen Z, who name Google, Amazon and Apple in their list of most desirable employers according to David Stillman and Jonah Stillman, authors of the book Gen Z @ Work.
Companies can position themselves as tech-savvy by installing collaborative workspace options and file management systems.
_____________________________________________________
Arizona Cardinal Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury is the first NFL coach to offer his players cell phone breaks during practice.
While Coach Kingsbury was roundly criticized on social media himself for giving players cell phone breaks, as a recent college coach, he already discovered that his team could focus better at team meetings and in practice drills when they knew they’d could count on 20-minute social media breaks throughout the day.
______________________________________________________
For Generation Z, it’s perfectly normal to check their smartphones every few minutes for messages or status updates, even while they’re working. In fact, 67% of them say they experience a high level of stress when they can’t use their phone according to The State of Gen Z 2018, research by The Center for Generational Kinetics.
If this doesn’t jive with your company policy, strategies for dealing with it include:
Assessing the individual’s device usage during the hiring interview
Communicating (clearly and frequently) the reason for the policy
Encouraging the individual to resist the device-checking obsession
Providing a device-safe area or time period (similar to smoking zones and breaks)
Providing more enticing alternatives such as interactive learning apps
Setting up a text auto responder for use during working hours
We should also note here the paradox that while tech knowledge has made Generation Z desirable for their hard skills, it has also created shortcomings in soft skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal communication, which previous generations took for granted as reported by Carolyn O’Boyle, Josefin Atack and Kelly Monahan from Deloitte Insights in Generation Z Enters the Workforce.
4. Gen Zers are willing to work their way up
In some ways, Gen Zers, born 1996 or later, continue the work/life trends initiated by Generation Y/Millennials (born 1977 – 1997), yet in others they are strikingly different.
Unlike Millennials with their often-cited sense of entitlement to career success, Generation Z grew up during the economic insecurity of the Great Recession.
They saw millions of their parents’ generation lose livelihoods and homes. What’s more, they’ve seen the news that Social Security may not be there for them by the time they retire.
______________________________________________
The foreclosures during the 2008 recession forced Gen Z to leave the homes they had grown up in. In addition to the shame of losing a home to foreclosure, they usually had to change schools when they moved, painfully leaving their friends at an impressionable age. These experiences, that most Millennials never experienced, shape the mindset Gen Z enters the workforce with.
_______________________________________________
These experiences explain why, David Stillman and Jonah Stillman, authors of the book Gen Z @ Work, report that 75% of Gen Zers say they’re willing to start at the bottom.
That’s great news for employers who need to fill entry-level positions. And they’re more likely to provide good ROI, as 61% of them would stay with a company for ten years.
5. They are entering the workforce earlier
Given the untenable — and growing — burden of student debt for a traditional college education, many Gen Zers are looking for alternate routes to acquiring the knowledge they need. In one survey, 47% of respondents said they would consider entering the workforce straight from high school and 60% said they would welcome employers offering education in their field in lieu of a college degree. Others may choose more affordable technical or online colleges.
This means that the traditional formulas of recruiting from universities and the 20-21 age group will miss the boat in acquiring valuable talent.
______________________________________________________________________
DOES YOUR WORKPLACE PASS THE GEN Z TEST? FIND OUT IN THIS SPECIAL BROADCAST ON SEPTEMBER 19TH. REGISTER NOW!
______________________________________________________________________
6. They prefer experience over benefits
We’re not saying Generation Z would sacrifice benefits such as wellness programs; rather, they take for granted that they will receive those. But they do give top priority to opportunities to gain professional experience. They want to know how the present job will help their long-term career growth.
Offering formal and informal training programs can be key to luring the cream of the Gen Z crop to your company.
For example, Amazon offers a tuition reimbursement program to employees with as little as one continuous year of service. Amazon pre-pays tuition, fees, and textbooks for certificate and associate degree programs in high-demand occupations.
7. They think independently
Thanks to their familiarity with online research, Generation Z prefers to work alone and succeed on their own merits, rather than focus on team efforts and goals. It’s something to consider if your corporate culture is currently team-oriented.
The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in this generation. An amazing 72% of them want to start their own business. Therefore, they relish chances to learn in fields beyond their current expertise.
8. They demand work-life balance
Gen Zers expect more control over their working hours and a better separation between their professional and personal lives. In fact, they would choose part-time work over long hours, even if it meant making less money. And 51% of survey respondents said flexible work is the most important career goal for them in research conducted by Universum Global.
Employers can meet this demand with options to work from home and/or flexible scheduling.
9. They value social causes
Working for a better world or a higher purpose is very important to Generation Z; one example can be seen in the current news reports of environmental protests around the world. As Generation Z researches prospective employers, they’ll be looking for your company’s involvement in community initiatives. Now’s the time to beef up those efforts — and show them off on your social media pages.
Sixteen-year-old, Greta Thunberg, became a worldwide sensation by protesting outside Swedish parliament for action on climate change at age 15. She was recently nominated for a Nobel prize for her activism. Here is Ms. Thunberg addressing international leaders at a UN Conference on climate change.
Diversity and inclusion are also a vital component of Gen Z’s desired workplace: 77% say that a company’s level of ethnic, gender and educational diversity affects their decision to work there.
Integrity Staffing Solutions has aligned its corporate culture and messaging to these ideals with a variety of programs from the award-winning Project Home to diversity certifications. We believe it not only helps us recruit top talent; it gives us a competitive advantage in problem solving and productivity
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10. You’ve just been handed a roadmap of (almost) everything we know about Gen Z
The research is clear. The stats prove it. The opportunity is right in front of you.
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Generation Z’s values and goals point the way to obtaining a competitive edge in the talent marketplace. Although salaries will go up due to labor shortages, we’ve seen that money is not this group’s main concern. Together we are going to learn to adapt our cultures and processes to make way for Gen Z.
Stay tuned for more exciting research in the next few weeks you can use to train and retain this exciting new talent-force.
______________________________________________________________________
DOES YOUR WORKPLACE PASS THE GEN Z TEST? FIND OUT IN THIS SPECIAL BROADCAST ON SEPTEMBER 19TH. REGISTER NOW!
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Integrity Staffing Solutions is a full-service staffing agency and ranks in the top 2% of agencies across the country for quality service based on Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing client survey. To learn more about Integrity or for help with your hiring needs, visit Integritystaffing.com or call 888.458.TEMP.
