In a previous blog, I talked about millennials and their unique characteristics. Now I want to talk about Generation Z—people born between 1997 and 2012. Clearly only those born in the early part of that group are currently in the workforce, but as the generation ages, others will be seeking employment.
Here are some things you should know about Gen Z, according to Meagan Johnson, a generational humorist. There are 74 million people in Gen Z, and they are the first fully digital generation. They will make up 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030, and 40% of them are evaluating whether it makes sense to go to college, given the cost and possible debt they'd incur. They are a values-driven generation with an expectation of diversity in the workplace.
See also: Gen Z could be the key to unlocking staff shortages
In addition, Gen Zers spend a great deal of time on their smartphones. Five or more hours a day, they stream 23 hours of video a week, and they spend hours a day on social media. Nearly 60% of the job seekers in Gen Z rank an organization’s social media presence as one of the reasons they accepted a job offer. A majority of Gen Zers, 62%, say they use Instagram daily. Also, 60% say that YouTube is their platform of choice.
If you want to attract people from Gen Z, use social media platforms to show them what it is really like to work for you. Introduce your team, post photos or videos from company outings and charity events you participate in, and explain your COVID-19 protocols and precautions. People in Gen Z want to know what it is really like to work for you.
To attract this generation, you may have to revamp your hiring process because they expect it to mimic their consumer purchasing experiences. In other words, it needs to be easy, mobile, and they must have the ability to save the part of the application they have and return to complete the rest later. A CareerBuilder survey found that 60% of potential job applicants quit filling out a job application because the application had too many steps or included questions that were too complicated.
Consider adding a candidate self-assessment tool to allow job seekers to see if your job is a good fit for them. It can be simple and should include questions that are relevant to the position for which they are applying. Provide a method for candidates to self-schedule interviews.
In addition, be careful in your management of Gen Z employees—and all employees for that matter—not to rely on stereotypes and generalizations. While members of a generation may have some common characteristics, each generation is made up of individuals who are unique. Use the common characteristics as a starting point, but make sure to allow for individual behaviors and characteristics in your management efforts.
Jane Clark focuses on managing the member services operation at NationaLease as vice president of member services. She works to strengthen member relationships, reduce member costs, and improve collaboration within the NationaLease supporting groups.
