The Up and Coming Workforce: Generation Z (1995-2010)

· by Taylor King

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But… who is Generation Z?

Recruiting Generation Z can be either super rewarding or very frustrating. They have the potential to radically benefit work culture, however, they also have the potential to hinder it. Let’s take a look at what they have to bring to the table.

PHILOSOPHY

Following their preceding generation (Millennials), Gen Z’s are approaching life a little differently. Activism is higher than ever, and this group of people are on their way to the front of those lines. They want to help. It’s important to them to make a difference. They want to matter. They lead with altruism—always on the lookout for their next supportive role. This mentality transitions well into the job market. Or does it? Global News tells us that Gen Z’s are likely to “job hop.” As a recruiter, this can be terrifying. The last thing I want is to place a candidate in a position for them to leave out of boredom. What if we, as employers, can’t provide enough “excitement” for this quickly approaching workforce? Shown below are the top 5 professional values of Gen Z’s:

  1. Interesting Work
  2. Organization You’re Proud of
  3. Work You’re Passionate About
  4. Having the Information to do Your Job
  5. Continuous Learning

Personally, the top 3 values all scream NONPROFIT. That line of work is stimulating, gratifying, and typically involves a whole lot of passion. Congrats nonprofit sector—you may come out on top. Seems Gen Z’s aren’t going to be as interested in working trade positions… which is troubling.

WORK/LIFE BALANCE

The good thing about finding jobs that Gen Z’s enjoy is that they’re 100% committed… which means, overtime. The dream employee. On the opposite end of that spectrum: jobs they do not enjoy = no overtime = no one is happy. Gen Z’s have a little millennial in them. They want to leave at 5pm, UNLESS, their job is extraordinary. A direction some companies may want to go (if they haven’t already) is integrating consistent nonprofit, volunteer opportunities into their company culture. Forbes seems to think so too. Though Gen Z’s may not be inspired in their daily responsibilities 24/7, perhaps this could close the gap of high turnover rates inevitably on the way.

TECHNOLOGY

Communication with Gen Z’s can be tricky. Their techy nature makes for interesting interactions with recruiters (no, I won’t text you the job description). Sometimes emails and phone calls really are the best option. Hearing an actual human’s voice not only results in a more direct connection, but is more professional. For years, Baby Boomers and Gen X’s have raised concerns about Millennial’s lack of personal communication. Sorry boomers, looks like Gen Z’s are following suit.

Though this reality can be frustrating to those of us who talk to people all day, every day, Gen Z’s also have a lot to offer. Their ideas are new and trendy—they should be listened to. Technology changes daily. There’s an app for everything. There’s a quicker way to do anything. And Gen Z’s know about it. Not only are their tech skills valuable, these people are speedy in their responses. Not waiting 4 days for an email is refreshing.

It is difficult to lump every single person into one category. However, the Generation Z’s so far have proven that majority are bright and caring individuals, and THAT is exciting news for our future.

These are just a few thoughts about one generation from one recruiter. Follow this to learn about working with Gen Y’s! Click here to learn about working with Gen Xers!