Mind the gap: Bridge the distance between GenZ and corporate life.
They are the perfect combination of technological skills and creativity, Gen Z is ready for the businessworld, but are businesses ready for them? After all, Gen Z is often described as a generation with limited involvement at work, wanting to move higher up the corporate ladder and unable to leave their values at home.
Their increasing participation in the labor force isn’t left unnoticed and their mentality is inatark contrast to previous generations. They are a fresh breath of air in modern day business world.
Gen Z’s low engagement and quest for rapid advancement opportunities may seem negative, but they also offer opportunity for connection. We explain how to bridge the gap with your youthful Gen Z employees.
1. Motivation and purpose.
For Gen Z, it is important to have a purpose. As many as 1 in 5 Gen Z’ers indicated in a Belgian survey by Bright Plus that they have no idea why they do their work. Among workers from other generations, this was far lower.
Therefore, it is important to make it clear to Gen Z’ers what their work adds to the company, what they are working toward and how it contributes to their personal development. Creating clarity will contribute to the attachment Gen Z experiences with their job and your company.
2. Open communication
40.5% of Gen Z’ers say they work to avoid criticism, reports the same Bright Plus survey. Because of their strong online presence, they are very sensitive to feedback and the opinions of others.
As an employer, you can support Gen Z by providing constructive feedback. This supports their mental health and reduces Gen Z’s fear of failure. Regular conversations and having multiple channels of communication help keep Gen Z more engaged and up to par.
3. Autonomy
Gen Z’ers like to experiment and focus mainly on ways they can develop themselves and their own opinions. So the way a traditional “9 to 5” is structured may not always be close to their entrepreneurial spirit.
You can make Gen Z feel more connected to their job and the company culture, though. It helps then to start the conversation with your Gen Z employees about how they see their role and let them contribute to improvements within the company.
4. Health
For Belgian Gen Z’ers, according to research by Deloitte and InSites Consulting, almost half of them are overly stressed. Therefore, a safe work environment and concern for their mental well-being is very important to them.
Above all, show that as a company you care about them. You can accomplish this by having regular conversations about your, and their mental health. Extra vacation days dedicated to mental health can also help Gen Z – and other employees – feel that they are seen.
5. Community
What’s interesting about Gen Z is that more than other generations, they say they trust their colleagues, according to Bright Plus. They are also more positive about the ways their manager motivates them.
Because of the prevalence of hybrid working, many Gen Z’ers are spending less time in the office. This makes it harder to build professional bond with colleagues. By doing more activities with your team or organizing team-building events, you foster this social bond.
Hand in hand with Gen Z
As an employer, if you embrace Gen Z’s individual approach, need for connection, and values, you can create the right work environment for them. By engaging with them about their needs, they will prove employees with great creative thinking skills, unique insights, and they may foster a sense of unity in the workplace.
