A shift is taking place at work, and a new generation of workers is leading the way.
It’s the much-talked-about Generation Z—digital natives who are eager to work and determined to make a difference by holding employers accountable for their value positioning and workplace culture.
Bridging the gap between generations in the workplace may be simpler than you think. To make your organization Gen Z-friendly, try these strategies.
Create a Culture of Belonging
Belonging is a critical human capital issue. The 2020 Global Human Capital Trends report found that 79 percent of respondents said a sense of belonging in the workplace was important to their organization’s success within the next year to 18 months.
That’s why it’s particularly alarming—and relevant— that a study from EY reports 40 percent of U.S. employees feel physically and emotionally isolated when they’re excluded at work. Even worse, Gen Z can be particularly susceptible to loneliness in the workplace, according to the CIGNA US Loneliness index.
Everything we do at CareerPoint is based on eight drivers of value. Think of them as the atomic elements of employee value—a framework you could use to analyze almost anything in relation to HR or career advancement. Create a culture of belonging at your workplace using two value drivers: Impact on Morale and Relationships.
Impact on Morale
Managers set the tone and create the culture within their workplaces. Sometimes, leaders think so much about correcting mistakes that they forget to praise employees of all ages for the good work they do. Make sure to give positive feedback along with constructive criticism. Empower all employees to show vulnerability at work, and show that you care about them as people, not just workers. Compassion and empathy raise morale, and happy employees are more productive.
Relationships
Form positive relationships with your employees and co-workers. Be an active listener, and create trust built on those conversations. Intentionally include those who may be left out of office life for whatever reason. And don’t forget remote workers! While they may not be physically present in the office, you can check in for a coffee break or create a team chat that encourages remote workers to participate in office culture and rituals.
Of course, these tips can be applied to all of your employees. But creating an office culture is all-encompassing and takes the buy-in of each employee to make it work. An office culture of belonging makes your company attractive to all ages—especially Gen Z. Gen Z is the most diverse generation in U.S. history, and they expect to see that reflected in the workplace.
Offer Continuing Education Opportunities
About 76 percent of Gen Z employees connect learning to career progress—more than other generations, according to the LinkedIn 2021 Workplace Learning Report. LinkedIn separately found that nearly half (43 percent) of Gen Z learners reported a preference for fully self-directed and independent learning.
These research findings establish that Gen Z values a strong learning culture. So, preparing for Gen Z in the workplace means ensuring that the continuing education opportunities they crave are available to them, preferably in an independent learning format where they can guide the course of study at their own pace.
To keep Gen Z employees on track, consider incentives for learning and professional development opportunities. Connect certifications and other continuing education to bonuses, as well as to performance reviews to ensure they are completed on time.
Show Them the Big Picture
Approximately 74 percent of Gen Zers ranked purpose as more important than a paycheck in a recent study conducted by Monster.
That’s why company leaders should demonstrate how the organization affects society. There are several ways to get that message across, including brand and employer messaging, social media and onboarding. Onboarding should also provide new employees with an organizational chart that shows where their job fits in the chain of command. Discuss how their individual contributions play a role in the organization’s overall success—and why.
Research by HR analytics company Effectory found that employees who are clear about their job role are 53 percent more efficient and 27 percent more effective at work than co-workers with more ambiguous role understanding. Having high role clarity resulted in 75 percent of employees feeling more passionate about their jobs and reporting higher levels of job satisfaction.
Using onboarding to clarify employees’ roles and explain how their jobs contribute to the organization as a whole meets Gen Z’s need for purpose in their jobs and encourages them to work harder.
Remember, Gen Zers are driven, opinionated young people. At the end of the day, they want a job, and you want to hire them. These strategies can help make sure it is a good fit on both sides of the table.
07 September 2022
Category
HR News Article