In part one of our two-part series exploring the pandemic’s effects on Generation Z in the workplace, several studies revealed Gen Z endured learning challenges and subsequent skills deficiencies. Soft skill inadequacies make it difficult to adjust to today’s workplace demands.
Today, we feature part two, exploring how enterprises can most attract and retain Gen Z employees. Not surprisingly, those strategies are closely tied to offering programs and services associated with the lasting emotional impacts of the pandemic.
Gen Z Represents a Large Talent Pool
As Gen X begins retiring from the workforce, Gen Z is quickly filling those gaps. According to Homebase, Gen Z comprises 30% of the world’s population and is slated to make up 27% of the workforce by 2027.
Based on results of a Paychex report titled, “The Rise of Generation Z: A Paychex Special Report,” Frank Fiorille, vice president of risk, compliance, and data analytics for Paychex, says, “Our data clearly supports the fact that the workforce composition is shifting as more Gen Z members seek full-time and long-term roles, more members of Gen X begin to retire, and Millennials enter their prime earning years,” he said.
“Considering these facts, employers need to develop recruiting and retention strategies that keep Gen Z at the forefront, appealing to their values-based approach and celebrating the unique contributions this group brings to the table.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Adam Smiley Poswolsky, a keynote speaker on fostering belonging and human connection in the workplace, in his Harvard Business Review article “Gen Z Employees Are Feeling Disconnected. Here’s How Employers Can Help.” He writes, “It is imperative that leaders and managers do more to connect and support young employees in these volatile times, not only as a means of engaging the next generation of talent, but as an investment in a collaborative future.”
Recruiting and Engaging Gen Z Workers
When it comes to Gen Z workers, Future of Work tenets, such as empathetic leadership, coaching and mentoring programs, and cultural initiatives, speak strongly to this demographic. Understanding how to attract and retain this growing workforce subset is critical to enterprise competitiveness.
Both the Harvard Business Review article and the Paychex report offered several Gen Z talent strategies. Let’s take a look at some of the more critical ones.
Focus on Mental Health
The pandemic was a life-defining event for Gen Z — they witnessed the deaths of parents and grandparents as a result of COVID-19. It was also life-altering from social and academic perspectives with the overnight move to remote learning and social distancing from friends and family. As Gen Z enters the workplace, HR and business leaders must consider the lasting impacts of those experiences. “A culture built on mental health and wellness goes beyond offering a meditation app; it infuses mental health throughout the organization through policies and programs that take care of your people,” Poswolsky writes.
Mobile Recruitment Strategy
Gen Z was raised on technology. The ability to adopt new technologies and platforms to solve challenges is a skill for many incoming Gen Z workers. For that reason, Paychex advises enterprises to focus on the social and digital aspects of recruiting for this demographic. “Build a strong brand and have mobile-friendly content (e.g., videos) on your website,” the report says.
Onboarding as Community Building
The sense of belonging and community that Gen Z craves should be integrated into the employee onboarding process. For many young employees, onboarding might be their first or second experience ever in a professional setting, says Poswolsky. “It is incredibly important, especially in a remote or hybrid workforce, that onboarding establish a container of mutual support.
Embrace the Entrepreneurial Spirit
The Paychex report revealed that many Gen Zers aspire to own their own business. Having a sense of ownership over a project or initiative can appeal to that entrepreneurial spirit. Look for opportunities to foster those entrepreneurial goals and provide areas of personal growth. While they may be the youngest generation in the workplace, it doesn’t mean Gen Z employees and extended workers can’t make process improvements or contribute to innovative decision-making.
Gen Z enters the workforce with some uncertainty and disconnectedness. Enterprises have an opportunity through coaching/mentoring, team building, and personal recognition to bring workplace balance and a sense of belonging to Gen Z workers. Recruiting contingent and FTE Gen Z talent requires going below the surface level of this workforce demographic to truly understand what drives their interests and motivates them. This is a unique moment in workplace history to blend four generations of workers. Gen Z is poised to take on this moment and deliver at the highest levels.
